This is dedicated to all human survival modes. Robust health is essential if we want to meet our goals in this life. It is never too late to be wise. It is never too early to revise.

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Gout Flare Pain

Gout Flare PainAlso called “gouty arthritis,” gout is a painful form of arthritis caused by too much uric acid in the body. The painful flare-ups may be concentrated in the big toe (a symptom known as podagra), as well as swelling and pain in the ankles, knees, feet, wrists or elbows. Flare-ups last days in the beginning, but can become progressively longer. Left untreated, gout can cause permanent damage to joints and kidneys, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Gout is most commonly seen in men, particularly those between the ages of 40 and 50. It is a very common disease. Six million adults age 20 and older have reported being diagnosed with gout according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).

GOUT DIET AND GOUT SAFE FOOD- WHAT IS WRONG AND WHAT IS RIGHT?

Why do low-purine Gout diets alone fail to resolve Gout?

Is a healthy diet important to gout control? ABSOLUTELY! However, focusing solely on purines can lead to trouble. Only 30% of uric acid production stems directly from the purines in foods. The other 70% is manufactured from the dying cells in our body. Cells die at a much higher rate in the presence of unhealthy and unbalanced diets, stress, medications, environmental toxins, weight problems, and our overall lifestyle.

We cannot fully control all of the toxins and acids in our environment that contribute to our cellular degeneration. Perfect diets can be quite challenging, if not impossible. We MUST approach gout healing and continued gout control with a fully comprehensive plan including diet, lifestyle, vitamins, and supplement(s) to provide the best support system possible.

Purines are found in every plant and animal cells. Purines include adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine. Purines constitute one of the major parts of our genetic codes, DNA and RNA, and energy molecules such as ATP, GTP and coenzyme A. Purine molecules are essential to all of life.

Meat (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Mutton Chop

61

146

Mutton Saddle

81

195

Veal, lean

63

150

Sweetbreads

525

1260

Veal Chop

52

125

Veal Liver

182

460

Veal Kidney

88

210

Lamb, lean

76

182

Horse Meat

83

200

Beef Heart

107

256

Bovine Liver

231

554

Bovine Lung

166

399

Bovine Kidney

112

269

Beef Tongue

67

160

Beef, lean

58

140

Pork, lean

63

150

Pork Liver

125

300

Pork Kidney

139

334

Pork Shoulder, raw

63

150

Pork Shoulder, roast

83

200

Pork Shoulder, skin

116

280

Pork Chops

49

118

Roast Hare

71

170

Venison

67

160

Rabbit

60

145

Sausage and Ham (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Black Pudding

38

90

Bratwurst

54

130

Meat Extract

1459

3500

Meat Loaf

58

130

Frankfurter Sausages

54

130

Mortadella

54

130

Ham, cooked

83

198

Ham, smoked

84

200

Fish (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Trout

83

200

Pike

58

140

Halibut

123

294

Herring

79

194

Herring Fillet

88

210

Herring Roe

79

190

Cod

63

150

Carp

63

150

Salmon

68

163

Mackerel

60

145

Mackerel, raw, with skin

167

400

Mackerel, raw, without skin

75

180

Redfish

100

241

Sardine

144

345

Haddock

54

130

Plaice

58

140

Plaice, raw, with skin

71

170

Plaice, raw, without skin

54

130

Sole

55

131

Tuna

107

257

Pike

46

110

Poultry (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Duck

64

153

Pheasant

62

150

Goose

69

165

Chicken Leg, roasted

98

235

Chicken with Skin, roasted

125

300

Turkey

50

120

Chicken Liver

101

243

Mushrooms (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Portabella Mushrooms

25

60

Chanterelles

13

30

Porcini

34

80

Fish Products (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Eel, smoked

48

115

Anchovies

108

260

Herring with skin, fried

88

210

Herring without skin, fried

67

160

Bow with skin

100

240

Bow without skin

60

145

Caviar

60

145

Salmon, smoked

100

242

Mackerel, smoked

76

182

Herring

91

219

Sardines with skin

146

350

Sardines without skin

88

210

Sardines in oil

200

480

Sprat, smoked

223

535

Tuna in oil

121

290

Shellfish and Crustaceans (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Oyster

38

90

Shrimp

61

147

Lobster

73

175

Cancer

25

60

Mussel

154

370

Fruit (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Pineapple

8

20

Apple

6

15

Apricot

8

20

Apricot, dried

32

75

Banana

11

25

Pear

6

15

Blackberries

5

15

Date

21

50

Strawberries

11

25

Banana

11

25

Blueberries

8

20

Raspberries

8

18

Cherry

6

15

Orange

8

20

Peach

8

18

Cranberries

5

13

Watermelon

8

20

Grape, blue

8

20

Grapes, white

8

20

Plum

8

20

Drinks with and without Alcohol (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Apple Juice

3

8

Beer

27

65

Beer Yeast

1248

2995

Beer without alcohol

1

3

Coffee

0

0

Orange Juice

5

12

Champagne

0

0

Spirits

0

0

Tea

0

0

Wine

0

0

Legumes and Soybeans (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Beans, white

75

180

Peas

62

150

Peek

84

200

Soybeans

92

220

Soybean Flour

123

296

Tofu

29

70

Soy Sauce

25

60

Cereals, Rice, Noodles (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Buckwheat

62

149

Barley

34

82

Semolina

23

55

Oatmeal

42

100

Millet

35

85

Rice, unprocessed, cooked)

15

35

Rice, white, cooked

10

25

Rye, whole grain

20

47

Sago

34

82

Starch

0

0

Tapioca

37

89

Whole Grain Bread

35

84

Wheat, whole grain

17

40

Wheat Flour

8

20

Noodles, cooked

22

52

Whole Wheat Pasta, cooked

21

50

Nuts and Seeds (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Peanuts

42

100

Hazelnuts

13

30

Almonds

13

30

Pecans

13

30

Poppy

70

154

Sesame Seeds

37

88

Sunflower Seeds

65

157

Walnuts

10

25

Vegetables (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Eggplant

8

20

Bamboo Shoots

6

15

Cauliflower

19

45

Beans, green

18

42

Avocado

13

30

Broccoli

21

50

Chicory

6

15

Chinese Cabbage

10

25

Endive

4

11

Lamb's lettuce

10

24

Fennel

7

16

Kale

13

30

Carrot

6

15

Potato

6

15

Kohlrabi

13

30

Lettuce

4

10

Leek

17

40

Peppers, green

4

10

Peppers, red

6

15

Radishes

4

10

Radish

4

10

Rhubarb

2

5

Brussels Sprouts

25

60

Beetroot

8

20

Red Cabbage

17

40

Cucumber

2

6

Sorrel

23

55

Sauerkraut

8

20

Salsify

29

70

Celery

13

30

Asparagus

10

25

Spinach

21

50

Tomato

4

10

Savoy

17

40

Zucchini

8

20

Onion

4

9

Dairy Products (100 g / 3.5 oz)

Purine

Uric Acid

Milk

0

0

Yogurt, plain

0

0

Curd Cheese

0

0

Camembert Cheese

13

30

Emmentaler Cheese

4

10

Fresh Cheese

0

0

Cream Cheese

5

13

Gauda Cheese

7

16

Are there foods that specifically cause a Gout attack?

Many chronic gout sufferers are almost always bordering a high level where any one meal can push them over the edge and into an attack. The combination of both a high purine AND high acid meal can prove to be too much. This is why many people believe that a specific food is the cause of their gout attack; however, it is usually just what happens to tip that "already full cup" over and into an attack.

You must bring your uric acid down to a manageable level in order to gain some flexibility in your diet. Once again, this is where vitamins and supplements are necessary to provide your body with all of the tools that are crucial to uric acid management. You must enhance the body's ability to fight this disease, and diet alone can make this a daunting task.

If low purine gout diets aren't the way to go, what is?

Healthy, low purine foods should always remain a part of the balance you are aiming for. The better option would be to focus more on pH balance, as a whole. pH balanced meals and lifestyles can further your quest for healthy cell protection, thereby reducing your overall uric acid load. pH balance also aids to reduce the inflammatory response in the body that sends your organs into a frenzy and allows uric acid to be freely stored to be "dealt with" later.

Acid/ Alkaline base has to be in balance. If not, our organs and bones often end up providing the alkaline buffers. This leads to chronic degenerative diseases. Remember, in order to remain healthy or improve your health, the ph of your body must be slightly alkaline.

We can and must further support our needs and alkaline buffers through vitamins and supplements.

How does excess weight/obesity affect Gout Attacks?

We know that overeating promotes the inflammatory response and suppresses the immune system. Obesity can affect the heart, blood flow, friendly bacteria levels and nutrient assimilation appointing excess strain on these organs and their essential functions. As a result, extra uric acid production is common. Moreover, the typical diet involved in obesity cases is rarely conducive to healthy uric acid balance.

Heavy, red-meat-based diets or lots of sugar-laden foods would definitely have a negative impact on immune function and promote inflammation, whereas calories in the form of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds would improve immunity.

It is known that even an extra 20 pounds can create an abundance of inflammation in the human body and lower overall immunity. Weight management is an important aspect of maintaining a balanced immune system and controlling inflammatory conditions such as Gout.

Is the Atkin's diet a problem for Gout sufferers? Are other fast weight loss methods problematic?

The Atkins Diet is a high protein and highly acidic approach to weight loss. This diet holds little to no alkaline balance, a balance essential to maintaining healthy body environment. Acidic body conditions allow for disease growth.

Consequently, diets like these can drastically increase your chances, and even directly contribute to, Gout and other degenerative disease development. Crash diets deplete the body of vital nutrients, creating an acidic body environment, and release stored purines from the body fat in the process. As you know, excess purine release results in even further uric acid production.

A healthy weight is essential to gout and disease control.

Fast and unnatural weight loss methods are dangerous to your health AND increase uric acid levels in the body. Purines are stored in fat cells. When they are released too quickly, overload is inevitable. Your body needs the time to slowly deal with the purine release in order to excrete it from the body and avoid even more uric acid production and storage.

Should I be eating low fat and fat free foods only?

Low fat and fat free foods are rarely recommended by us. In most cases, they aren't any "better", and can raise even more health concerns.

Most of these foods are chemically altered and processed to achieve the fat removal and often replaced with even more undesirable ingredients, like sugar, to enhance their taste. Fat restrictions can go way too far and can be equally as dangerous as a diet too heavy in all the wrong fats.

Low-Fat Diet Dangers

MedicineNet.com defines fat as follows: "along with proteins and carbohydrates, [fat is] one of the three nutrients used as energy sources by the body. The energy produced by fats is 9 calories per gram."

Fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K require healthy dietary fats in order to utilize them properly. These vitamins are responsible for cell growth, immunity, blood clotting, and more. They are stored mainly in the liver and fat tissue and require proper fat intake to perform their bodily functions and avoid dangerous deficiencies.

Nutrient Imbalances:

Diet balance is essential. When you reduce one area too much, such as fats, you will likely increase in other areas such as carbs and proteins. Carbohydrate-rich diets increase your risk of Diabetes II and typically inflates the appetite. High-protein diets place unhealthy strain on the liver and kidneys with its overly acidic qualities. Disease prevention and proper nutrition relies heavily on the balance of all three macronutrients.

Heart Disease:

We need our HDL (the good) cholesterol levels to be high in order to fight heart disease. HDL collects the bad cholesterol, LDL, and carries it to the liver in order to be excreted from the body. When these ratios are imbalanced by way of a diet too low in fat, you face cholesterol problems and increase your risk for heart disease. Fatty acids, such as Omega-3's are essential to this necessary balance.

Mental Disorders:

Essential fatty acids play a large role in our mental health, our moods and behavior. They directly affect the hormones and chemicals in our brain. Fat/diet imbalances have been linked to conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, schiszophrenia, and ADHD.

Cancer:

Low intake of essential fatty acids have also been linked to cancers such as prostate, breast, and colon. Omega-3 fats have been shown to slow the unhealthy cell and tumor growths.

Eating habits:

Low-fat and fat-free foods can cause us to overeat empty calories. Because these foods are chemically altered and enhanced with sugars you'll often find the full-fat versions are very similar in calories. You are basically trading one overly processed and sugared version for a healthier option similar in caloric value. Make any sense? We don't think so. These empty calorie versions just make you crave even more, and in turn overeat because as a result. Choosing full fat versions can provide you the fullness and satiety needed to get your through to the next meal and avoid the processed low-fat versions that leave you hungry and craving for more.

Not all fats are created equal. There are also some major misconceptions about saturated fats. Hint: They're not all evil! Foods such as avocados, coconut oil, raw nuts, olive oil (unheated), tuna, salmon, and raw seeds can be considered "healthy" fats. We even recommend full-fat sour dairy. Avoid trans-fats such as hydrogenated oils.

What is the best way to test the pH of my body?

By and large, blood pH is the most accurate way of measuring our health and body functioning. However, this cannot be done at home and is rarely done professionally, either. Urine and saliva pH test results can be rather telling about our overall health and the capability of uric acid excretion. This type of testing can be done at home.

Test your urine over a 48 hour period, 4 to 6 times a day -- one upon waking one, 1 hour after breakfast, 1 hour after lunch, 1 hour after dinner and before bed. If you wake at night to urinate, we advise to test that one also. Record your results.

Is sugar a major contributor to uric acid problems? YES!! Fructose increases uric acid through a complex process that causes cells to burn up their ATP rapidly, leading to "cell shock" and increased cell death (remember 70% of uric acid production comes from the death of your cells!) After eating excessive amounts of fructose, cells become starved of energy and enter a state of shock, just as if they have lost their blood supply. Massive cellular die-off leads to increased uric acid levels.

HCFS, or High Fructose Corn Syrup, is lurking in almost every processed food imaginable. According to Dr. Hyon Choi and colleagues from Boston University, drinking high fructose syrup laden beverages increases uric acid levels in the blood, which eventually deposits into the joints where it causes gout..

How Can We Avoid HFCS (high fructose corn syrup)?The first food to go has to be the soft drinks; this includes fruit punch, fruit cocktails, and Kool-Aid since they are all laden with HFCS.

Second, eat more meals at home. Restaurant foods are mostly prepackaged foods reheated and served to you. Use of HFCS in these foods is wide spread because of their increased shelf life.

While shopping, read the labels, if HFCS, fructose, or modified corn starch appears within the first five ingredients place it back on the shelf an move on. Sounds easy right? Wrong. As you make your way through the store you will begin to realize just how much of what you have been eating on a daily basis contains HFCS.

Reducing HFCS will not always be easy, but the health benefits are well worth it. You will feel stronger and more vital, it will lift your mood and give you increased concentration. Limiting your intake of HFCS will not only shrink your midsection, but also do wonders for your over all health.

The Dangers of Too Much Sugar

Fructose in Gout, Inflammation, and Disease

The parallels between fructose and the increase in diseases such as Diabetes, Obesity, Gout and more, are virtually undeniable. Several decades ago the average American only consumed around 15g of fructose each day. Compare that to the average of 55g per day now consumed, with adolescents reaching upwards of 75g, and we may just have a strong link to the rise in inflammation and disease.

Almost every cell in our body uses glucose for energy. When fructose fuses with glucose, sucrose is produced. Our livers are the only source capable of metabolizing fructose. Fructose cannot be used for energy by our body's cells. Therefore, high levels of fructose are seen and treated as a toxin in our body. As the liver breaks this down, an end product of that reduction is created in the form of a fat known as triglycerides. This fat can build up in the cells of the liver and cause damage to the liver. When this fat is released into the bloodstream, plaque on the artery walls begins to build.

Fructose increases uric acid through a complex process that causes cells to burn up their ATP rapidly, leading to "cell shock" and increased cell death (remember 70% of uric acid production comes from the death of your cells!) After eating excessive amounts of fructose, cells become starved of energy and enter a state of shock, just as if they have lost their blood supply. Massive cellular die-off leads to increased uric acid levels. Uric acid can also shut down the production of nitric oxide, a substance needed to protect our artery walls from damage.

Excess sugar can also cause insulin resistance, leptin resistance, addictive cycles of cravings, and binge eating. Some have attributed the "low-fat craze" of the 80's and 90's to the drastic increase in sugar consumption. Unfortunately, during these dietary guideline changes we traded some healthy fats for sugar, a trade that may have cost us our health.

HCFS, or High Fructose Corn Syrup, is lurking in almost every processed food imaginable. According to Dr. Hyon Choi and colleagues from Boston University, drinking high fructose syrup laden beverages increases uric acid levels in the blood, which eventually deposits into the joints where it causes Gout.

READ your food labels and steer clear of processed/boxed foods as much as possible. Often time, high-fructose corn syrup is the top ingredient. AVOID!! Avoid substitute sugars such as aspartame, sucrolose/splenda, saccharin, Acesulfame-K. Each is full of undesirable side effects and cancer-causing agents. Do your homework, they are pure poison!! Should you feel the need to sweeten any of your fresh foods, consider a natural sweetener such as Stevia.

One should aim to stay under 25 grams of total fructose per day. This can add up quickly with processed foods and juices! Avoid your simple carbs as much as possible -- bread, pastry, pasta = sugar. Any sugar you do consume each day should come only/mainly from fruit. See our fructose chart to gain some perspective on how quickly 25g can add up with just fresh fruit alone:

Fruit

Serving Size

Grams of Fructose

Limes

1 medium

0

Lemons

1 medium

0.6

Cranberries

1 cup

0.7

Passion fruit

1 medium

0.9

Prune

1 medium

1.2

Apricot

1 medium

1.3

Guava

2 medium

2.2

Date (Deglet Noor style)

1 medium

2.6

Cantaloupe

1/8 of med. melon

2.8

Raspberries

1 cup

3.0

Clementine

1 medium

3.4

Kiwifruit

1 medium

3.4

Blackberries

1 cup

3.5

Star fruit

1 medium

3.6

Cherries, sweet

10

3.8

Strawberries

1 cup

3.8

Cherries, sour

1 cup

4.0

Pineapple

1 slice
(3.5" x .75")

4.0

Grapefruit, pink or red

1/2 medium

4.3

Fruit

Serving Size

Grams of Fructose

Boysenberries

1 cup

4.6

Tangerine/mandarin orange

1 medium

4.8

Nectarine

1 medium

5.4

Peach

1 medium

5.9

Orange (navel)

1 medium

6.1

Papaya

1/2 medium

6.3

Honeydew

1/8 of med. melon

6.7

Banana

1 medium

7.1

Blueberries

1 cup

7.4

Date (Medjool)

1 medium

7.7

Apple (composite)

1 medium

9.5

Persimmon

1 medium

10.6

Watermelon

1/16 med. melon

11.3

Pear

1 medium

11.8

Raisins

1/4 cup

12.3

Grapes, seedless (green or red)

1 cup

12.4

Mango

1/2 medium

16.2

Apricots, dried

1 cup

16.4

Figs, dried

1 cup

23.0

GOUT DIET AND GOUT SAFE FOOD -WHAT IS WRONG AND WHAT IS RIGHT?

How does alcohol affect Gout? Alcohol, generally speaking, isn't high in purines. However, alcohol is high acid and adds to uric acid problems in other critical ways. Beermay be the exception to this rule as it happens to pose a double risk with both high purine AND the high acid contributions.

Alcohol impedes removal of uric acid in

the body. Alcohol is metabolized into lactic acid in the body. The lactic acid then competes with uric acid in the kidneys for elimination through urine; thus, greater levels of uric acid remain in the body.

Alcohol contributes to uric acid levels in

the body. Alcohol raises the amount of ATP that is converted into AMP-a good foundation for uric acid.

Alcohol increases cellular degeneration

within the body and the brain. As these cells die off they release purines, which is within every cell in our system.

Additionally, alcohol consumption directly affects and consumes the attention of the liver and kidneys, impeding even more uric acid excretion. Alcohol also dehydrates the blood, further producing excessive uric acid.

A recent study found that one alcoholic beverage per day was enough to significantly increase the risk of gout in that person. The risk grew as number of drinks consumed increased.

Am I drinking enough water and why

is this important to Gout Control?

Water consumption and the source for your drinking water are both very important. Unfortunately, a good portion of our society is dehydrated and isn't even aware of it, which poses major health risks.

If the kidneys sense the body is becoming too dry, they begin to retain the fluid, rather than excreting it as urine. This also forces the body to hold onto excess uric acid and other toxins ordinarily excreted by the kidneys, and the damage begins. This is a vicious cycle of dehydration. Proper water intake is an essential key to blood hydration and kidney filtration in order to properly expel uric acid from the body. One should consume a pure source of water, ideal amount for their body weight and activity level, steadily throughout the day. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

Daily Water Needs- Divide your weight in half. This is how many ounces of water you need daily, consumed at a slow but steady pace from rise throughout the day. If you weigh 180lbs, divide by 2 = 90oz of water daily. Drinking water should come from a pure source, preferably filtered for purity and filters replaced according to manufactured suggestions. Optimal drinking water pH is 7.0. Juices, teas, sodas and coffee DO NOT count towards your water needs!High Temperature, Low Humidity Associated With Gout Attacks..... (HINT HINT- DRINK MORE WATER!)Gout News and Research Archive

University of Texas study links meat

to kidney cancer

NBC News MAGGIE FOX Nov 9th 2015

Another study has shown people who eat more meat have a high risk of cancer. This time, it's kidney cancer, researchers reported Monday.

And it's not just people who eat red meat, as many other studies have shown. People who eat more so-called white meat, such as chicken, have the higher risk, too.

Dr. Xifeng Wu and colleagues at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston studied 659 patients just diagnosed with kidney cancer and compared them to 699 similar people without cancer.

They wanted to break down not just the link, but to tease out the factors that might explain it. They looked at what kinds of meat people ate, how they cooked it, as well as people's genetic makeup to see if certain genes made them more susceptible.

People who said they ate the most grilled meat -- red meat and chicken alike -- had a higher risk of kidney cancer, they reported in the journal Cancer. And those with two genetic mutations that already put people at higher risk of kidney cancer were most affected by the grilled meat risk.

People with kidney cancer also ate fewer fruits and vegetables than people who didn't have it.

"Although previous studies have linked meat intake with an increased risk of (kidney cancer), to the best of our knowledge the underlying mechanism for this association remains unclear," they wrote.

Cancer experts have long known that grilling or barbecuing meat can make it carcinogenic. Burning or charring meat creates cancer-causing substances.

In this case, the two culprits Wu's team looked for were 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenyl-imidazo(4,5-b) pyridine (PhIP for short ) and amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo(4,5-f) quinoxaline (MeIQx for short).

"Kidney cancer is among the 10 most common cancers in both men and women," the American Cancer Society said. The group projects that more than 61,000 Americans will be diagnosed with kidneycancer this year and 14,000 will die of it.

"For reasons that are not totally clear, the rate of new kidney cancers has been rising since the 1990s, although this seems to have leveled off in the past few years," the American Cancer Society added in a statement on its website.

"Part of this rise was probably due to the use of newer imaging tests such as CT scans, which picked up some cancers that might never have been found otherwise."

Wu's team also wonders whether an increase in eating meat might explain some of it.

"The American/Western dietary pattern consists largely of red and processed meats, and the results of the current study suggest that the association between this dietary pattern and cancer may be in part explained by exposure to meat cooking mutagens," they wrote.

Last month, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released a controversial report that stated definitively that processed meats such as sausages and bacon cause cancer and that red meat probably does.

This study fits in with the studies that undergird the IARC's pronouncement.

Outside experts said it will be important to find out just what the risk is and what people can do about it.

"Once we have identified more genes we will likely be able to identify a subset of the population that is at particularly high risk to develop kidney cancer if they eat meat and processed meat," said Dr. Ulrike Peters of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

"However, overall recommendations to limit intake of red and processed meat will remain for the entire population."

Gout and the Antihypertensives

Patients with hypertension, the incidence of gout has been
calculated as 3 times higher than in non hypertension patients. Much
of this added risk is attributed to the use of diuretics, which are
associated with increased serum uric acid levels. Current hyper-
tension guidelines recommend caution in the use of diuretics in
elderly hypertensive patients or cite this adverse effect of diuretics as
a possible contraindication in patients who may already be at risk for
gout.

Other, non-diuretic classes of antihypertensive drugs have also been
shown to affect serum uric acid levels, which prompted Dr. Choi's
group to examine the relationship between these drugs and gout in
people with hypertension. To accomplish the analysis, these
investigators used a database of computerized medical records
generated by UK general practitioners between 2000 and 2007. The
data came from 24,768 incident cases of gout among adults aged 20
-79 years, 51.9% with a prior diagnosis of hypertension, and a
random sample of 50,000 matched controls. Dr. Choi reported that
after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), visits to the
general practitioner, alcohol intake, and pertinent drugs and
comorbidities, the relative risk of incident gout among patients with
hypertension was reduced with use of calcium channel blockers. By
contrast, the risk of gout was increased with use of diuretics, beta-
blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and non-
losartan angiotensin II receptor blockers. Use of these drugs in the
patients without hypertension produced similar results. In the patients
with hypertension, there was a significant trend in relative risk
reduction for gout with duration of CCB use and with losartan use.

FDA approves another dangerous

gout drug

by Michele Cagan at healthiertalk.com

The FDA just approved IV drug Krystexxa for gout treatment. But
they couldn't have possibly looked at the trial results. Or they just
hate people with gout.

The results were ridiculous...

Fewer than half the people in the trial actually ended up with a
positive response to the medicine--so it doesn't really seem to
work. On top of that, Krystexxa produced some pretty nasty
adverse reactions.

77% suffered from gout flare-ups, compared to 51% taking placebo
--and that's despite being pretreated for at least a week with
NSAIDs, colchicine, or both.

Not to mention an unusually large percentage of anaphylactic
reactions (again, despite premedicating with antihistamines and
steroids!), and other very unpleasant side effects like chest pain,
nausea, vomiting, and bruises.

If you're suffering with gout, don't put yourself through even more
suffering with Krystexxa. Especially when there are effective natural
solutions that won't make your gout worse than ever.

The People's Pharmacy- Prednisone

Side Effects: Deal With The Devil?

Prednisone (and similar corticosteroids) can be a life saving drug. It
saved my sanity when I developed sudden hearing loss in one ear.
That was a really scary experience for someone who depends on
hearing to be able to do live radio. The ear, nose and throat
specialist
diagnosed my deafness as "idiopathic sudden sensor
neural hearing
loss." In other words, he didn't have a clue what
caused it. He did prescribe high doses of prednisone and within a
few days my hearing
returned.

Similar corticosteroids like prednisone include:

Cortisone

Dexamethasone

Hydrocortisone

Methylprednisolone

Prednisolone

There are many conditions for which such drugs can be extremely

valuable, even life saving. Here are just a few:

Very serious allergic reactions (bad poison ivy for example)

Anaphylactic shock (life-threatening allergic reaction)

Brain tumors

Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease)

Severe asthma (usually to help control acute flare-ups)

Severe nausea of chemotherapy

High altitude sickness (when there is brain swelling)

Traumatic brain injury

Addison's disease

Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Giant cell arteritis

As useful as corticosteroids can be for a wide range of conditions,

the drugs can also cause an extraordinary number of serious side
effects. Some people have likened this to a deal with the devil.
Even short-term use can cause problems.

The week or two that I took prednisone for my hearing loss I couldn't
sleep, became incredibly irritable and hard to live with, and felt as if I
had turned into someone I didn't know or like. A study in the
American Journal of Psychiatry analyzed data from hundreds of
thousands of European patients over an 18 year period. They
discovered that people taking corticosteroids were more likely to
experience neuropsychiatric symptoms including depression,
suicidal thoughts (and actions), delirium, disorientation, confusion,
panic and manic episodes. The authors conclude that:
"Glucocorticoids [another term for corticosteroids] increase the risk
of suicidal behavior and neuropsychiatric disorders. Educating
patients and their families about these adverse events and
increasing primary care physicians' awareness about their
occurrence should facilitate early monitoring."

+++++++++++++++++ I can relate. I certainly felt disoriented and out of control on the
relatively high dose I was taking. The trouble is that patients and
their families are not always warned about such side effects. Here
are some scary stories that have been reported to this website:

+++++++++++++++++ "Years ago I was given prednisone in the emergency room for a
severe anaphylactic reaction that affected my ability to breathe
and caused massive hives. Although the treatment may have
been necessary, I too had a severe psychotic reaction and when
I finally went to my own doctor and had blood tests, my blood
chemistry was all over the map. I had to continue the tapered
dose till I was done but I wish someone had warned me of
possible side effects so at least I wouldn't think I was totally
crazy. "I questioned my ability to drive, slept constantly, and was
quite volatile. I had to take a day off from work. Knowledge is
power! People should be warned about possible side effects so
they have the information should side effects occur." AC

+++++++++++++++++ "I was on 20mg twice a day of prednisone for a sinus infection. Had
I known anything about this horrible drug I would have never taken
the meds and let my sinus infection clear up on its own. That would
have been better than these side effects.

"I was not told to taper the dose, so I took as prescribed 20mg twice
daily for 7 days. The day after stopping my whole body hurt to the
touch, as if I was black and blue all over. I was swollen, red and had
a lump on my neck, not to mention being very disoriented. I went
back to the doctor and he insisted this had nothing to do with the
drug. "I checked myself into the ER where they put an IV drip with
benadryl and the like. I was discharged that day. No change. Next
day, didn't hurt to the touch anymore. New side effect - rash from
head to toe and severe indigestion. Following day, rash subsiding,
indigestion getting better. Still feeling a bit loopy, but I am told by
next week I should be back to myself again.

"I am warning everyone i know not to ever take a steroid unless your
life is in danger. It is a very scary feeling - all for a sinus infection."
AMS

+++++++++++++++++ "I'm having Prednisone side effects. My doctor prescribed this drug
last Thursday. She prescribed 20mg twice daily for five days. I was
sleepless for three days in row. On day 4 after a short nap I awake
feeling so nervous. I am crying, my hands are shaking, and my
heart is beating so hard. These are awful feelings.

"My doctor told me I will feel that way for about nine days. She didn't
show any care about me. She also said I can go back to work (and
drive a long way) the next day. But the way I was and am feeling I'm
not daring to drive even one block.

"I do not understand why she prescribed that medicine, without any
warning, for a small allergy I had. I mean the medicine was worse
than my illness." ELY

+++++++++++++++++ "My wife had sleepness nights when on prednisone and the doctor
said that she might do some odd things that she normally wouldn't
do. He was right. One night she got up and tore down the wall
paper in our bathroom :-) We still get a laugh over this one."
Bob K.

+++++++++++++++++ "I am experiencing high blood pressure, agoraphobia, panic attacks,
light headedness, confusion, weakness, intolerance to heat, IBS,
shaking, etc. These side effects all started the day I stopped the
drug. It has been 7 days with not much improvement. I was
hospitalized for 3 days. I pray I do not EVER have to take
prednisone again... EVER. "I am hoping I get past this. My quality
of life stinks. I took 30mg 1 day 20mg 2 days and 1 mg 2 days.
Absolutely HATE this." SKF

+++++++++++++++++

These are just some of the messages that have been posted to our
website. Feel free to add your story or comment below. We find it
astonishing that some prescribers do not warn patients about the
possibility of psychological side effects brought on by prednisone
and friends. Even a short-course of high-dose steroid can
precipitate symptoms. And not warning about gradual tapering
borders on bad medicine. To protect yourself and your loved ones
from such medical mistakes we suggest our latest book, Top
Screw-ups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.

We want to emphasize that corticosteroids can be very valuable.
Some people must take them for the rest of their lives because
of a very serious or life-threatening condition. And NO ONE
should ever stop taking a drug like prednisone suddenly. It must
be phased off gradually under medical supervision.

Here are some other side effects associated with corticosteroids.

Fluid retention, edema

Insomnia

Irritability, nervousness, mood swings, mania, depression, psychosis

Disorientation, confusion

Hypertension

Loss of potassium

Headache

Dizziness, vertigo

Muscle weakness

Blood sugar elevation (diabetes)

Irregular menstrual cycles

Swollen face

Hair growth (including on the face)

Itching, rash, hives

Increased susceptibility to infection

Weakened bones (osteopenia, osteoporosis)

Tendon rupture

Glaucoma

Cataracts

Ulcers

The higher the dose and the longer someone takes a drug like

prednisone the more likely there will be side effects. Make sure
your physician is monitoring things like potassium, blood sugar,
bone density and psychological well being. And never stop a
corticosteroid suddenly!

Joe Graedon, for The Soapbox blog on The People's Pharmacy

BBC news Sunday, 9 May, 2004 - Gout

treatments 'remain unproven'

There is little scientific evidence to support the use of some current
treatments for gout, researchers say. The condition is usually
treated with an anti-inflammatory drug, or with alternatives such as
steroids.

But the journal Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin says much of the
evidence for their effectiveness is anecdotal. Other experts have
disputed that claim.

Gout affects around 600,000 people in the UK and is becoming
increasingly common in men.

Gout generally involves very severe attacks of joint pain followed by
long periods of remission.

The condition is caused by the formation of urate crystals within
joints and other tissues.

Acute attacks are usually treated with an anti-inflammatory drug - in
many cases indometacin.

However, the DTB says there are no published studies showing
whether this is the most effective treatment.

In fact, it says there is evidence to suggest that indometacin is no
better, or more easily tolerated than other anti-inflammatory drugs.

Some people - for instance those with stomach ulcers - cannot take
anti-inflammatory drugs.

In these cases doctors rely on alternative treatments such as
colchicines and steroids.

However, the DTB says their use is based more on anecdotal
experience than on published research.

Prevention

The journal also raises questions about preventative drugs
commonly prescribed to many patients to try to stop further
attacks - drugs, which in many cases, may be taken for
years.

Again, the journal says there is little published evidence on the
effectiveness of such treatment.

It says patients, rather than GPs, should make the decision on
whether and when to start to take such medicines long term.

Joe Collier, editor of Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, said: "It is
astonishing that we know so little about how best to treat the
common (and very painful) condition gout.

"The drugs used are old, so there is no drive to do the necessary
research. This is an unacceptable position and needs remedying."

The journal says there is some evidence to suggest that adopting
a healthy lifestyle can cut the frequency of acute gout attacks.

Shedding excess weight and avoiding high alcohol consumption
are all thought to help.

Claims disputed

But Dr Michael Snaith, a consultant rheumatologist in Derbyshire
and expert on gout, told BBC News Online that the criticism of
current treatments had been over-egged.

He said it was true to say that different anti-inflammatory drugs
were equally effective at treating gout - but he said that as a
group they were a highly effective way to combat the condition.

"Most developments in gout occurred in the middle third of the last
century before electronic databases were set up - these
researchers may not have gone back far enough," he said.

"For instance, there is undoubtedly hard evidence of the
effectiveness of Allopurinol, a drug developed to treat cancer in
the 1950s, preventing gout attacks by reducing uric acid levels."

(NaturalNews) Drug side effects left woman

blind and scarred

A federal jury has ordered Mutual Pharmaceutical Co. to pay $21
million to a woman who was blinded and scarred in an adverse
reaction to an anti-inflammatory drug.

In January 2005, Karen Bartlett of Pliastow, NH, began taking a
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) known generically as
sulindac in order to relieve chronic shoulder pain. Sulindac is also
marketed by Merck as Clinoril, and is in the same drug family as
aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen.

Two weeks after beginning the drug, Bartlett began to suffer irritation
around her eyes and noticed red spots developing on her face. Two
days later, suffering from a still-worsening rash and feeling as if she
had pebbles in her throat and under her eyelids, she was admitted
to the hospital.

Doctors diagnosed her with a potentially fatal skin disease known
as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
(SJS/TEN), characterized by inflammation of the eyes and mucus
membranes. SJS/TEN can produce rashes so severe that the
body's entire outer layer of skin is burned off.

Bartlett spent 112 days in five different hospitals as the disease
continued to burn away her skin and the tissue from her throat,
stomach and lungs. Although she did survive, she was left
permanently disabled and legally blind.

"It literally burned her alive," her lawyer Keith Jensen said. "It
burned 65 percent of the skin off her body ... It burned her
inside and out."

SJS/TEN is a known potential side effect of all NSAID drugs, but
sulindac carries the highest risk of it.

"Before you start taking common ... drugs, you may need to inform
yourself about this often-fatal reaction," writes Andreas Moritz in
Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation.

"The list of drugs that may be problematic includes antiepileptic and
anticonvulsant drugs, sulfonamides, ampicillin, allopurinol and
[NSAIDs], as well as some vaccinations (such as anthrax)."

Colchicine side effects, nutrient depletions,

herbal interactions and health notes:

Data provided by Applied Health

Vitamin B12 levels may be depleted with long term use of the drug.1

Colchicine may lower potassium, sodium and vitamin A levels.2

Colchicine has been linked to impaired absorption of Beta-Carotene.

Individuals taking colchicine would most likely benefit from taking a
high-potency multivitamin/mineral supplement to compensate for these
interactions.3

Colchicine interferes with vitamin B12 metabolism by reducing

intrinsic-factor-B12 receptors. Despite uncertainty about the exact
relationship, caution is indicated in elderly individuals taking
colchicine
and experiencing nervous system symptoms Any
evidence of
neuropathies following the use of colchicine warrants
checking serum
levels of B12 for deficiencies. B12 supplementation
would be judicious
prophylactically and administration is indicated
when any deficiency is
detected. A generous and wholly safe
dosage of 10-25 mcg per day of
vitamin B12 would compensate
for the adverse effects of taking
colchicine. Periods testing of
serum levels would be appropriate for
monitoring vitamin B12
status.4

Colchicine has been linked to impaired absorption of Magnesium.

Individuals taking colchicine would most likely benefit from taking a
high-potency multivitamin/mineral supplement to compensate for
these interactions.5

Dietary Fat. A variety of studies indicate that colchicine interferes

with the intracellular phase of fat absorption.6

Colchicine has been linked to impaired absorption of lactose. In

studies of patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) Fradkin
et al found that colchicine induces significant lactose malabsorption
in FMF patients and concluded that this interaction was at least
partially responsible for the gastrointestinal side effects of the drug.7

Tannin containing plants: Atropa belladonna, Lobelia inflata can

interfere with colchicine8

Herbs high in salicylates (aspirin-like compounds) can precipitate

herbal alkaloids and impair absorption of colchicine.Herbs high in
salicylates should not be taken with colchicine.9

Herbs containing Tannins such as Camellia sinensis (Green Tea

and Black Tea), Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Uva ursi), Juglans nigra
(Black Walnut), Rubus idaeus (Red raspberry), Quercus spp. (Oak),
and Hamamelis virginiana (Witch Hazel) Herbs high which yield
tannins when extracted by hot water can precipitate alkaloids which
can impair absorption of colchicine. Tannins will not precipitate low
concentrations of alkaloidal salts in the presence of many gums
present in plants such as Acacia, Agar, Aloe, Flax, Guar, Irish moss,
Locust bean, Marshmallow root, Okra fruit, pectin powder,
Psyllium seed husks and Slippery Elm bar.Herbs high in tannins
should not be taken with colchicine. 10

Dangers of low-dose colchicine in patients

with renal failure

[No authors listed]

Abstract

(1) Life-threatening colchicine intoxication can occur in patients with
renal failure, even with low-dose regimens.

(2) Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are the first manifestations of
overdose. Colchicine must be withdrawn immediately to avoid
severe complications (especially haematological and
neuromuscular).

(3) Colchicine must not be prescribed without first assessing
creatinine clearance (using the Cockroft formula, for example),
especially in elderly patients.

(New Zealand Herald) Medsafe's inability to

act on gout drug seen as dangerous

loophole

New Zealand's medicines regulator has a "serious safety concern"
over a gout drug that has won state funding, but is powerless to
initiate a safety review.

This has been described as a dangerous loophole in the Medicines
Act.

Gout is a form of arthritis that can cause excruciating pain in joints,
particularly the big toe.

In April, Pharmac approved funding for benzbromarone - even
though it has not gone through the separate medicines
registration process with the regulator, Medsafe.

The drug was withdrawn in Europe in 2003 because of serious liver
toxicity, including one death.

The Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring has notified Medsafe
of a gout patient taking the drug who was also on the blood-thinner
warfarin. The gout drug can enhance the blood-thinning effect of
warfarin and the patient suffered bleeding.

"Medsafe considers this to be a serious safety concern ... ," a
Medsafe official said by email to Lance Gravatt, whose company
imports a rival gout drug. "Benzbromarone is not an approved
medicine in New Zealand and therefore the regulator's legislative
powers do not apply," the official said.

"In practice, this means Medsafe is unable to refer this medicine to
the MARC [Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee] to conduct a
benefit/risk review or take any regulatory activity."

Instead, Medsafe will publish an "alert" next week in its Prescriber
Update newsletter to remind doctors the gout drug is known to
interact with warfarin. It will also point out that although there is no
New Zealand datasheet on the drug on the Medsafe website -
normally a key source of drug-safety information for doctors - it is
listed on the online NZ Formulary.

Unregistered medicines can still be legally used, but doctors who
prescribe them carry more complex responsibilities than usual to
explain the risks and benefits, and obtain full informed consent
from the patient.

Dr. Gravatt said Medsafe's inability to initiate a safety review was a
loophole that created risks for patients. "We are alarmed at this
situation, notwithstanding our conflict of interest in being the
supplier of an unfunded [although registered] gout treatment.

"With no datasheet or consumer medicine information, are we really
to believe that GPs will search the National Formulary every time?"

Australian gout expert Professor Richard Day said it was good the
Pharmac application form for doctors who wanted to prescribe
benzbromarone highlighted the risk of liver toxicity. But warfarin
should be highlighted too, as should the need for extra monitoring
if patients were taking the blood-thinner.

Pharmac's medical director, Dr Peter Moodie, said that before listing
the drug in April, the agency had approved funding case by case for
many patients with "very severe gout - to the extent that the
alternative is amputation in some cases".

Pharmac funded 48 unregistered medicines.

When asked if Pharmac carried greater drug-safety responsibilities
when it funded an unregistered medicine, Dr Moodie said
regardless of a drug's registration status, doctors were obliged to
tell patients of risks and benefits, other-drug interactions, and
obtain informed consent.

What is gout?

A form of arthritis

Can be highly painful and lead to joint damage and disability

Prevalence estimate: 2.7 per cent of the population

More common in men, Maori and Pacific people

Causes include genetic inheritance, excess weight and alcohol

intake, certain foods and drinks

- NZ Herald (by Martin Johnston)

More bad news about bread

Bette Dowdell @healthiertalk.com

Mercy, Maude, this bread mess is something else!

In my article, Two Problems With Bread, I talked about celiac
disease and bromide problems. Now I'm back with more bad
news, additional bread ingredients you don't want anything to
do with.

Most bread lists Malted Barley Flour as an ingredient, typically
the second one which means it's the second most prevalent
ingredient. Translated? There's a bunch of it in there, and it's
bad stuff.

How's that, you ask? Well, malted barley flour comes loaded with
the amino acid glutamate, an excitotoxin. That is, it can rev up the
hypothalamus part of the brain to toxic levels, leaving it a wounded
warrior.

Now, this is a very bad thing seeing as how the hypothalamus
controls your nervous system AND your endocrine system.
When it gets wounded, so do you. Count on it.

You may not connect that to your autoimmune disease, but you
should. Same with a punked out thyroid. Or any other endocrine
gland. Not to mention neuropathies, the pins and needles pain
that seems to have no explanation.

And, as if brain damage isn't enough, malted barley flour contains
a ton of tannins, a major cause of migraines.

Most commercial breads and bags of flour contain malted barley
flour. Ya gotta read labels! And if there's no label to read, as in a
restaurant? Assume it's there.

Well, is there enough of it in bread to do any real damage? Oh,
indeedy!

It causes coughs, headaches that can last for days, shortness of
breath, wheezing, swollen nasal cavities, burning throat and
breathing problems. People report being diagnosed with asthma
because of ADA. Quit the ADA, and they're healed! Same with
sinus infections.

The United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and most of Europe ban
ADA. The FDA and World Health Organization say it's just hunky-
dory. No problem here. Move along.

Subway, Dunkin' Donuts and Burger King all add ADA to their
bread. MickyD's apparently doesn't.

And don't buy any bread that's fortified with iron. They make it
sound as healthful as all get out, but it's illegal in most of Europe
because it triples the incidence of liver cancer. Besides, too much
iron rusts us out. It also leads to heart problems.

Finally, high fructose corn syrup. I'm worn out from all my jumping
up and down about HFCS, so I'll just recap: HFCS raises triglyceride
levels, leads to obesity and diabetes, raises uric acid levels (can you say gout?), damages the kidneys, wears out the liver and
creates general mayhem. Poison.

Some people hope Ezekiel bread, said to be from a Bible recipe, is
the answer. Sorry. Ezekial bread contains soy. Soy is a poison.
Again, I'll summarize: Soy disrupts the endocrine system, causes
kidney stones, strips us of the minerals we need, damages the
hypothalamus, depresses the thyroid and eventually leads to breast
and prostate cancers. And the thing is, it didn't exist in Bible lands
during all the centuries in which the Bible was written.

I love bread. I love the taste, the texture in my mouth, everything
about it. I just wish they didn't mess with it so much.

How to get sick and die early

Bette Dowdell @healthiertalk.com

From time to time, subtlety gets in the way of a clear message.
To forestall that unhappy possibility, permit me to write bluntly.

Your health needs this message.

If you eat or drink anything with high fructose corn syrup in it,
you're stupid.

If you're dealing with diabetes - and eat or drink anything with high
fructose corn syrup in it -you're an idiot.

If you're trying to lose weight - and eat or drink anything with high
fructose corn syrup in it - you don�t have a lick of sense.

Smart up and avoid high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Now, this
takes vigilance. Lots of vigilance. That stuff is everywhere.

It's in ketchup. Worcestershire sauce. Cereals. Bread. Processed
foods. And on, and on. Reading labels can be an eye-opening
experience.

Why should you bother? Let me count the ways.

One can of soda pop contains enough HFCS to overwhelm your
liver. Doing in your liver makes you a goner all by itself, but that
can of soda starts a domino effect amongst your body parts.

HFCS raises your triglycerides, the fatty acids in your blood.

Not wanting to be left out, your blood pressure makes a leap.

And your uric acid, confused by the never-seen-in-nature HFCS,
starts an upward trek. Can you say gout?

And now they're learning that high uric acid levels do a number on
your kidneys. Whilst you pour HFCS down your gullet, you should
at least have the good manners to wish your kidneys good luck.

But, wait! There's more! HFCS sends your leptin into orbit. We know
leptin as a big player in appetite and weight loss, but that pales in
comparison to what it does to your brain and your pancreas.

HFCS is murder on your pancreas. Charged with the task of
maintaining blood sugar levels, the pancreas throws in the towel.
See the sentence about diabetes above.

Well, I could go on, but if you don't have the picture by now, why
bother? Just eat, drink and be merry-and get sick and die early.

Here's how it is: Your body doesn't know how to handle HFCS.
It's like lobbing a bomb into your system.

The manufacturers of HFCS know this, but it�s the money, honey.
How much money? More than enough to hire "researchers" and
writers to sing the praises of HFCS so people think it's not so bad
after all. To believe it's 'natural'. That all's well with the world.

But no matter how loudly they toot the bugle and bang the drum,
HFCS manufacturers still couldn't sell the stuff if food
manufacturers didn't happily jump on board.

But here's the secret: Food manufacturers would quit the game,
stop the HFCS nonsense on a dime, if you refused to buy the stuff.

Bottom line: You get to choose whether or not to be an idiot.
Is this a great country or what?

High fructose beverages tied to gout

Jonathan Benson @naturalnews.com

(NaturalNews) New research derived from the larger Nurses' Health
Study has found a new connection between drinking fructose-rich
beverages like soda and developing joint arthritis. According to Dr.
Hyon Choi and colleagues from Boston University, drinking high
fructose beverages increases uric acid levels in the blood, which
eventually deposits into the joints where it causes gout.

Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the
report claims that people who drink one fructose-rich beverage a
day are 74 percent more likely than those who drink less than one
per month to develop gout. And those who drink two or more
fructose-rich beverages a day are 97 percent more prone to the
disease than minimal drinkers.

Strangely enough, even orange juice appears linked to gout.
Once-a-day orange juice consumption raised risk levels by 41
percent, while drinking two servings a day resulted in a 142
percent risk increase. However, other kinds of juices did not
appear to exhibit the same effects.

"Physicians should be aware of the potential effect of these
beverages on the risk of gout," explained Choi and
colleagues in their report.

The team also noted that women with a body mass index (BMI)
above 30, as well as those who drink alcohol, are at an even
higher risk. And even though only one percent of women who
participated in the study ended up developing gout, excess
fructose consumption is never a good idea because the sugar
component in its processed form can aggravate proper insulin
function, induce type-2 diabetes, and lead to obesity.

Health Basics: Processed 'vegetable' oils

fuel inflammation and cancer

S. D. Wells @naturalnews.com

(NaturalNews) What if you bought a brand new car or truck and you
immediately filled it with used oil and ethanol-laden gasoline? How
soon would you experience major engine malfunctions, and how
soon compared to a new car that you gave only the cleanest oil and
gas possible? Many people perceive vegetable oils as healthy, but
excessive consumption of vegetable oils leads to actual structural
changes within our fat stores and within our cell membranes. How
are so many people fooled into ingesting large amounts of
processed and pesticide-contaminated oils that kill them slowly? Is
it because of the word vegetable or is it because of the term all
natural that the "sheeple" (misled and uneducated people) pour in
the hydrogenated rapeseed oil and the hexane vapor-laden
polyunsaturated "dirty fuel"?

Vegetables are good for you, right? Shouldn't vegetable oil be good
for your organs and your blood? What if it's cold-pressed!? What's if
it's "extra virgin"? What if you don't cook it at high heat? What if you
do? These are the pressing questions that have Americans
confused and running on saturated toxic fat and empty calories.

Fatty acids have taken on a new dimension over the past 75 - 85
years, like never before in the evolution of man and woman.
Vegetable oils are being run through processes that lessen the
acid, add toxic vapors, kill the nutrients, add in genetically
modified (GM) proteins and enzymes, and confuse human cells,
often choking them and breaking down their defenses. Some
oils actually shut down the mechanism of life in cells, and
mitochondria are suffocated to death. This leads to direct
physiological changes and contributes to multiple diseases.

Soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil,
safflower oil and the list goes on and on and on. They all sound
like you might even be eating healthy, but it's time to wake up
and smell the GMOs. Olive oil, if it's real and cold-pressed, can
be good for you, but as soon as you cook it at high heat, you're
in trouble. Grape seed oil is said to tolerate high heat, but you're
about to find out why that doesn't even matter. Dead food is
dead food, and it doesn't matter how long you cook it or how hot
the fryer gets. At that point, all you're doing is adding to toxicity,
not making it "healthy." Most oils contain very large amounts of
biologically active fats called omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty
acids, which are quite harmful in excess.

Industrial food oil processing is very scary - take a look

In just 80 years, consumption of soybean oil increased a thousand-
fold in the United States. When Monsanto figured this out, in came
pesticide food for the masses. Using industrial chemicals and
highly toxic solvents, most vegetable oils are processed until
useless and sold as food. The omega-6 overload messes up the
fatty acid composition of the body. Currently, most Americans'
ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 is around 16 to 1. This ratio
basically cripples your immune system, and Big Food and Big
Pharma both know it. This is the number one reason why
eating out at restaurants is bad news. The excess of these fatty
acids sits in cell membranes and increases harmful oxidative
reactions. Typical body fat stores of linoleic acid have
increased three-fold in just a few decades.

GMOs and processed oils fuel inflammation

Eicosanoids (also spelled icosanoids) are modified fatty acids in
your cell membranes that play a crucial role in cellular messaging,
immunity and inflammation. Aspirin and ibuprofen inhibit the
eicosanoid pathways and artificially reduce inflammation, but all
you're doing is covering up symptoms of a greater plight. Trans
fats are like the devil of food, and chronic, systematic
inflammation is possibly the number one culprit of all the
preventable diseases that plague America, including arthritis,
cancer and heart disease. If humans could just figure out how to
balance their omega-6s and -3s, they could reduce and eliminate
inflammation.

How much do you know about grape seed oil production?

Hexane is a hydrocarbon and a significant constituent of gasoline.
Hexanes are colorless liquids at room temperature with a gasoline
-like odor. They are cheap, non-polar solvents often used in the
formulation of glues for shoes, leather products, textile
manufacturing, roofing and for cleansing and degreasing.
Unfortunately, they are also used to extract cooking oils from
seeds, and we ARE talking about grape seeds here. Hexane is
chiefly obtained by refining crude oil and is used in laboratories
for chemical reactions. Did you know that the mutation of human
cells, also known as cancer, is a "chemical reaction"?

How much do you know about fake olive oil hybrids?

More than HALF of all olive oil sold in the U.S. right now is not pure
olive oil, or even "extra virgin" or "Italian." Many U.S. oils sold as
such are hybrid mixes of toxic rapeseed oil (reduced erucic acid
canola), GM soybean oil and other low-grade oils. Your body, if
consuming these regularly, is breaking down like a car running on
dirty oil and sugar-laden gasoline. Welcome to the scandalous
world of fake olive oil! Real olive oil smells like fresh olives,
because it's a fruit and hasn't been processed in labs and factories
with chemicals.

What is rapeseed oil?

Over 90% of canola oil is partially hydrogenated and genetically
modified, in case you didn't already know. That means that you
are eating pesticide! (https://draxe.com) Rapeseed oil was
banned for consumption in the USA by the FDA back in 1956.
Then a Canadian scientist lessened the toxicity, renamed it
something catchy, and here we are! Canadian oil low acid is the
long name for the cell choker. "Anti-conspiracy theorists" hate
finding this one out. They really love their canola.

Canola oil can have detrimental effects on your health, and most
"food bars" at restaurants and supermarkets are loaded with it in
just about every potato salad, egg salad, tuna salad, chicken
salad and every baked item, including desserts and salad
dressings.

Coconut oil is the King of Healthy Oil!

Your refuge in all of this is coconut oil. I suggest you buy only
organic. This is the answer to the low-grade oil catastrophe
that has struck America and will continue to do chronic,
collateral damage for years. Escape the madness of low-grade
oil being substituted for food. It's time you put only
"premium fuel" in your "machine"!

Top food products containing high-fructose

corn syrup tainted with mercury

Ethan A. Huff @naturalnews.com

(NaturalNews) Nearly half of all commercial high-fructose corn syrup
(HFCS) used in processed foods like soda pop, ketchup and candy
is tainted with toxic mercury, according to a peer-reviewed study
published in the journal Environmental Health. Among 20 samples of
commercial HFCS tested for the heavy metal, nine tested positive,
says the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), the
consumer group that spearheaded the study.

Researchers from IATP tested HFCS as part of a larger
investigation into the safety of this common sweetener, which is
often used in place of table sugar. Since it is used in everything
from salad dressing and barbecue sauce to commercially
prepared breads and cereals, HFCS is a major component of
millions of people's diets, having been quietly introduced into the
U.S. food supply during the 1980s.

According to The Washington Post (WP), the average American
consumes roughly 12 tablespoons of HFCS daily, while teenagers
and other "high consumers" are believed to consume up to 80
percent more, or roughly 22 tablespoons, of the substance every
single day. Based on the findings of the study, this means that
mercury is being ingested at levels never before seen, presenting
serious health risks that could cause permanent health damage.

"Mercury is toxic in all its forms," stated Dr. David Wallinga from
IATP, co-author of the study. "Given how much high-fructose
corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant
additional source of mercury never before considered. We are
calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food
and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury
contamination of the food supply."

More than 30 percent of processed foods containing HFCS also
contain toxic mercury

IATP also conducted a joint study on individual consumer products containing HFCS, revealing that about one-third of them contain mercury. The most common products containing mercury were dairy products, dressings and condiments such as ketchup that contain HFCS as their first or second ingredients.

A list of the 55 consumer products tested as part of the second study shows that the worst offender is Quaker Oatmeal to Go, which contained 350 parts per trillion (ppt) of mercury. Second on the list is Jack Daniel's Barbecue Sauce, manufactured by Heinz, at 300 ppt of mercury. Trailing these are Hershey's Chocolate Syrup at 257 ppt of mercury, Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce at 200 ppt of mercury and Nutri-Grain Strawberry Cereal Bars at 180 ppt of mercury.

The complete list of HFCS-containing products that tested positive for mercury can be downloaded as a PDF here: Iowa.SierraClub.org.

Some HFCS producers using outdated 'mercury-cell' technology that poisons end product

The reason why some HFCS contains mercury and other HFCS doesn't has to do with how the sugary product is manufactured. IATP told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that four HFCS plants in Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia still used a technology known as "mercury-cell" that can contaminate the end product.

According to IATP, the process involves adding mercury-grade caustic soda, as well as other ingredients, to a proprietary mix that ultimately separates corn starch from corn kernels. This mercury-tainted caustic soda is manufactured in industrial chlorine plants that use an outdated and highly toxic chlor-alkali process that can leave mercury residue in the final product.

"The bad news is that nobody knows whether or not their soda or snack food contains HFCS made from ingredients like caustic soda contaminated with mercury," added Dr. Wallinga. "The good news is that mercury-free HFCS ingredients exist. Food companies just need a good push to only use those ingredients."

Are tanning beds and the sun our enemy?

Dr. Holick weighs in:

Many doctors say ultraviolet light from the sun or a tanning machine is dangerous because of the risks associated with skin cancer. But some health experts, such as Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University, disagree. "I believe that Americans have gone overboard with their fear of the sun. I think that sensible exposure to sunlight is really important for your overall health and well-being," says Holick.

The reason for the concern is vitamin D, essential for bone strength and other health needs, which our skin makes through exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. We need 1,000 units of vitamin D a day, but a glass of milk supplies only 100 units and a multivitamin only 400. So most people need the sun in order to avoid deficiency. Sunscreens can reduce vitamin D production Now, new research has found that wearing sunscreen continuously can reduce the amount of vitamin D a person is able to make.

"We looked at individuals that always wore a sunscreen before they went outside. ... And we found that, indeed at the end of the summer, they were deficient in vitamin D," says Holick. "And so we have shown over and over again that adults, even if they're on a multivitamin, and drinking milk, if they always wear sun protection, or avoid any direct sun exposure, they're at high risk of developing vitamin D deficiency."

Link Already Known, But Gaps in Knowledge

Previous studies have shown a link between vitamin D levels and cancer risk and survival. Some studies have suggested that vitamin D levels are linked to colon cancer risk and an overall improvement in survival for a number of cancer types, including colorectal.

An "umbrella review" Dr. Theodoratou was involved in found that using vitamin D for colorectal cancer prevention, and possibly treatment, is "biologically plausible" , according to David J. Kerr, CBE, MD, DSc, professor of cancer medicine at the Oxford Cancer Centre in the United Kingdom. "Vitamin D has important effects on cell growth, cell morphology, and cell cytokinetics - a whole range of biological factors that would be relevant and germane to the control of cancer," he explained in a recent Kerr on Oncology.

In their umbrella review, Dr. Theodoratou and colleagues note that "despite biological plausibility and a positive trend toward improvements in outcomes, in terms of prevention and in terms of reducing elements of disease recurrence, there were insufficient prospective randomized trials," Dr. Kerr pointed out.

"There is a key gap in the knowledge - the defining evidence, the 'home run' if you like - that we would require to be utterly convinced of the role that vitamin D plays in the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer," he said. [back to the top]

The role and benefits of friendly bacteria and how to use them effectively

(NaturalNews) Inside the body lives a vast number of bacteria without which we could not remain in good health. There are over 100 trillion in each person with over 400 different species, most of them living in the digestive tract. Certain types of these bacteria help to maintain good health and others have value in regaining it back once it is lost. Learn the role and benefits of each, and when to use them.

The role of different strains of friendly bacteria

Lactobacillus acidophilus is the predominant friendly bacteria in the upper intestinal tract. It helps reduce the levels of harmful bacteria and yeasts in the small intestine and also produces lactase, an enzyme important in the digestion of milk. Acidophilus is involved in the production of B vitamins during the digestive process.

Bifidobacterium bifidum and B. longum are the primary friendly bacteria in the large intestine. Bifidobacteria protect the large intestine from invading bacteria and yeasts, and also manufacture B vitamins and help the body detoxify bile. B. infantis is the prevalent friendly bacteria in the intestines of infants.

Streptococcus thermophiles and L. bulgaricus are most commonly found in yogurt and exist only transiently in the digestive tract. They produce lactic acid, which encourages the growth of other friendly bacteria, and they also synthesize bacteriocins (natural antibiotics like substances) that kill harmful bacteria.

Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, and Streptococci are the bacteria mostly commonly found in probiotic supplements. Other beneficial species that may be included are L. casei, L. plantarum, L. sporegenes, L. brevis, and saccharomyces boulardii. Without bacteria like acidophilus, one would not be able to properly digest food and absorb vitamins and other nutrients.

The benefits of probiotics and illnesses they can help treat

Probiotics can benefit our health in a number of different ways, including:

The manufacture of certain B vitamins, including niacin, pyridoxine, folic acid, and biotin.

Production of antibacterial substances that kill or deactivate hostile disease causing bacteria. Friendly bacteria do this by changing the local levels of acidity, by depriving pathogenic bacteria of their nutrients, or by actually producing their own antibiotic substances.

Anti-carcinogenic effect, since probiotics are active against certain tumours.

Improved efficiency of the digestive tract.

Reduction of high cholesterol levels.

Protection against radiation damage and deactivation of many toxic pollutants.

Recycling of estrogen, which reduces the likelihood of menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis.

Reduce anxiety and stress.

Friendly bacteria have also been shown to be useful in treatment of acne, psoriasis, eczema, migraines, gout, rheumatic and arthritic conditions, cystitis, candidiasis, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and some forms of cancer.

Using probiotics in specific situations

Probiotics should always be considered a part of a healthy lifestyle due to its disease preventative properties, but could also be used in more acute and specific health challenging situations, such as:

Instead of immediately reaching for the probiotic capsules, also consider live food-based sources as the basis to a probiotic rich diet. Some of the most prolific sources include sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, and apple cider vinegar.

** When you do reach for the probiotic capsules to combine with your better diet choices, be sure you have the right one! [back to the top]

(NaturalNews) Omega-3 fatty acids may improve joint health and reduce the risk and severity of arthritis, according to a study conducted by researchers from Duke University and published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases on July 11.

The findings suggest that, contrary to prior belief, the types of fats that make up a person's diet may have more influence on their arthritis risk than their weight does.

"Our results suggest that dietary factors play a more significant role than mechanical factors in the link between obesity and osteoarthritis," senior author Farshid Guilak, PhD, said.

What you eat, not what you weigh

Prior studies have established that obesity is a major risk factor for osteoarthritis, a disorder characterized by degradation of the joints and more commonly known simply as "arthritis." Until now, scientists have assumed that a higher body weight causes increased wear-and-tear on the joints, but this hypothesis never explained why arthritis is so common in non-weight-bearing parts of the body such as the hands.

In a previous study, the Duke University researchers found that abnormally low levels of the appetite-regulating hormone leptin in obese mice were an accurate predictor of arthritis. This suggested that metabolic, rather than physical, symptoms of obesity might actually be behind arthritis.

"This made us think that maybe it's not how much weight you gain, but what you eat," Guilak said.

To further explore the connection between diet and arthritis, the researchers induced osteoarthritis in mice by deliberately injuring their knees. Trauma or injury is responsible for approximately 10 to 15 percent of all osteoarthritis cases. The arthritic mice were then fed either a diet high in saturated fat, a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids or a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids with a small amount of added omega-3s.

"A healthy diet would include roughly equal ratios of these fats, but we're way off the scale in the Western diet," Guilak said.

Health researchers now believe that the typical Western diet contains too much saturated and omega-6 fat, and not enough of omega-3 fat.

Omega-3s slow disease progression, speed wound healing

The researchers found no connection between body weight and arthritis. They did find that, while mice on both the saturated fat and omega-6 diets experienced a worsening of their arthritis symptoms over time, mice in the omega-6 plus omega-3 group did not.

"While omega 3 fatty acids aren't reversing the injury, they appear to slow the progression of arthritis in this group of mice," Guilak said. "In fact, omega 3 fatty acids eliminated the detrimental effects of obesity in obese mice."

The researchers also noticed that mice in the omega-3 group healed faster from an injury that the researchers had inflicted on their ears (a way to differentiate between the mice) than the mice in the other two groups.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Arthritis Foundation, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and a Taiwan GSSA graduate fellowship. It is only the latest in a glut of recent research illuminating the many health benefits of a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids.

A strong body of clinical research now shows that omega-3s are potent anti-inflammatories that can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and arthritis. They are also important for brain health and particularly important for the brain development of babies and children. They may also play a role in regulating mood and cognitive function.

Research has also linked omega-3s to a reduced risk of cancer and improved bone, bowel and menstrual health. [back to the top]

Krill Oil Supplementation Lowers Your Triglycerides

By Dr. Mercola

Most Americans are seriously deficient in animal-based omega-3 fats. If you're among them, this means you are missing out on many health advantages that these fats offer.

Maintaining a high dietary omega-3 intake throughout your life is essential for optimal health, and the research continues to pour in that krill oil, in particular, is the preferable source.

Lower Your Triglycerides: Krill Oil for Your Heart

Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood. Elevated levels are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, and high triglycerides are also one of the signs of metabolic syndrome.

Eating a healthful diet is one of the best ways to keep your triglyceride levels in the optimal range, and this includes omega-3 fats. Recent research published in Nutrition Research1 revealed that krill oil supplementation lowers triglyceride levels in adults with borderline high or high triglycerides - by more than 10 percent.

The researchers concluded: "krill oil is effective in reducing a cardiovascular risk factor." This isn't the first time krill oil has been shown to reduce triglycerides, and past research also showed that it is more effective than fish oil at doing so.

One study revealed that while the metabolic effects of the two oils are "essentially similar," krill oil is as effective as fish oil despite the fact that it contains less EPA and DHA (the primary active fatty acids in animal-based omega-3 fats).2

In that case, the EPA and DHA dose in the krill oil was nearly 63 percent less than that in the fish oil - but the beneficial effects were virtually the same. This finding corresponds with unpublished data suggesting that krill oil is absorbed up to 10-15 times as well as fish oil, which would explain this discrepancy.

Krill Oil Works Better Than Fish Oil, and on Par with Statins, to Improve Lipid Profiles

Separate research published in the Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition3 compared the efficiency of krill oil and fish oil in reducing triglyceride levels. Over a six-week period, rats divided into three groups had their diets supplemented with one of the following:

2.5 percent krill oil

2.5 percent fish oil

No supplement

In less than three weeks, both oils had markedly reduced the enzyme activity that causes the liver to metabolize fat, but the krill oil had a far more pronounced effect, reducing liver triglycerides significantly more. The higher potency of krill oil allows it to decrease triglyceride levels in a shorter period of time compared to fish oil.

Overall, after six weeks of supplementation, cholesterol levels in the krill oil group declined by 33 percent, compared to 21 percent in the fish oil group.

Further, liver triglycerides were reduced by TWICE as much in the krill oil group compared to the fish oil group, by 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively. This is particularly important, as fasting triglyceride levels are a powerful indication of your body's ability to have healthy lipid profiles.

To put this into further context, after being on a statin drug combined with daily exercise for several months, participants in one 1997 study4 saw an average reduction in their cholesterol levels of 20 percent. This is why krill oil is actually being used as a drug in some European countries.

Krill Oil Is Less Damaged or Oxidized Than Fish Oil

In laboratory tests, krill oil remained undamaged after being exposed to a steady flow of oxygen for 190 hours. Compare that to fish oil, which went rancid after just one hour. That makes krill oil nearly 200 times more resistant to oxidative damage compared to fish oil!

When purchasing krill oil, you'll want to read the label and check the amount of astaxanthin it contains. The more the better, but anything above 0.2 mg per gram of krill oil will protect it from rancidity. To learn more about the benefits of krill versus fish oil, please see my interview with Dr. Rudi Moerck, a drug industry insider and an expert on omega-3 fats, above. The infographic below also presents the facts of which omega-3 supplement is best.

I was one of the first to promote krill as an exceptional source of animal-based omega-3 dietary fats. Many have criticized me for recommending this over fish oil, for the lack of studies to back it up, but the bulk of the new emerging studies are confirming that krill is the better option.

It merely took time for the science to document what was obvious clinically, that krill had the identical fats as fish oil but was a far higher quality source due to astaxanthin protecting the perishable fats, and the phospholipids that massively increase the absorption of the fats. [back to the top]

3 common ways nutrients are being destroyed in your food

(NaturalNews) One of the greatest concerns with the food supply today is the toxicity and lack of nutrients. This begins with the seed, then the soil it is planted in, followed by the treatment it receives during its growth phase. But if that wasn't enough, a further degradation of food takes place between the harvest and the plate. These are the three most prominent ways.

Processing

The most commonly eaten and most processed food category is arguably the grains. They often undergo a process that leaves them with a fraction of the nutritional value than when they were initially harvested in order to produce many types of flour products.

To begin this process, the highly nutritious, sprout-able bran and the husk that has the fiber are removed leaving only the light yellow endosperm, which is virtually all starch with very little nutritional value and a high glycemic index rating.

Following that, in order to bypass the aging process and add shelf life, as well as keep the clean white color, the endosperm is crushed and treated with chlorides to make it instantly white. A byproduct of that process is alloxan, which is used to induce diabetes in lab animals for medical testing.

What is left is a food that has a mere remnant of its original nutrient value.

Heating

Another way the nutrients in food are destroyed is through heating. Various phytonutrients, enzymes, probiotics, and vitamins do no survive the heating process, which depletes the food of these life-promoting nutrients.

One heating process that takes place prior to food making it to the store is pasteurization. This is commonly done with dairy products in order to remove any rogue bacteria that may be present during the harvesting process. Unfortunately, once it is pasteurized, it has removed all delicate and beneficial nutrients like enzymes and good bacteria, which are crucial for proper digestion and health.

Another very common practice is cooking foods in ovens and on stovetops at high temperatures for extended periods of time, which results in the destruction of various nutrients.

Finally, microwaving is the worst way to cook food because they excite the water molecules inside whatever you are cooking, causing heat to be formed from the inside out. This results in a cell-by-cell nuking of the food causing near-total molecular decomposition of the vitamins and phytonutrients that promote disease. This leaves microwaved food almost completely dead, leaving nothing but empty calories, fiber, and minerals. Virtually every vitamin and phytonutrient content has been destroyed.

Irradiation

This process exposes food to radioactive materials, such as cesium-137 and cobalt-60, to kill insects, bacteria, molds, and fungi, prevent sprouting, and extend shelf life.

Unfortunately, foods that have been irradiated lose much of their nutritional value. Irradiation can destroy between 5 and 80 percent of vitamins and nutrients found in a variety of foods including essential vitamins A, B complex, C, E, and K. As an example, irradiated eggs lose 80 percent of vitamin A and orange juice loses 48 percent of beta-carotene.

Although the heating and irradiation process are often done by governmental organizations to reduce the number of food borne illnesses, it has indirectly created a policy that increases the number of people killed by infections and chronic disease due to destruction of probiotics, enzymes, and other nutrients that help the body resist and destroy infection in the body.

The bottom line is that the more whole, raw, and fresh the food consumed, the healthier the immune and detoxification systems that destroy such harmful pathogens. [back to the top]

New Evidence for Protective Effects of Vitamin-D on Your Heart

By Paolo Boffetta, MD, MPH, Special to Everyday Health

Although vitamin D is obtained from diet and dietary supplements, the main source of vitamin D is production in our skin under the influence of solar radiation.

As sun exposure varies with the latitude of regions and during the year, so vitamin D concentrations of populations vary accordingly. Furthermore, women are generally more prone to low vitamin D concentrations than men. Vitamin D deficiency is especially common among the elderly who often have less sun exposure because of reduced outdoor activity and reduced capacity of the skin to produce vitamin D.

Research on Vitamin D's Protective Role

We conducted an international study of eight populations from Europe and the United States to investigate the association of level of vitamin D in blood and deaths from all-causes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer mortality, published in the British Medical Journal in June 2014. We paid attention to differences between countries, sexes, age groups and seasons of blood sampling. The study was conducted with the CHANCES Project, a research initiative funded by the European Commission and coordinated by scientists at the Hellenic Health Foundation in Athens, Greece, and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and primary authors were from the German Cancer Research Center, in Heidelberg.

A total of 26,018 people had their vitamin D level measured in blood samples collected at enrolment in the study, when they were ages 50 to 79, and were followed for an average of 4 to 16 years, depending on the population. During this period 6,695 of them died, including 2,624 from cardiovascular disease and 2,227 from cancer. We compared the risk of dying between the group with highest vitamin D level and those with lower levels by dividing each study population in five groups of equal size based on their baseline vitamin D level.

Increased Deaths in People With Low Vitamin D Levels

Compared with the group with the highest vitamin D, people in the group with lowest vitamin D had a 57 percent increased mortality for all causes. They also had a 41 percent increased mortality from heart disease for those who were free from heart disease at the study's start. In addition, individuals with history of cardiovascular disease had a 65 percent increased risk. People with a history of cancer had a 70 percent increased risk. However, for cancer mortality, we saw no benefit in those who were free from cancer at the start.

For all these associations, the three groups with intermediate vitamin D level were at intermediate risk, with a dose-response relation. These associations did not vary by sex, age group, or season of blood collection.

For the US population in the study, the comparison was between people with level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (the main metabolite of vitamin D, and the active compound measured in blood) just above 85 nmol/L on the high end, and people with a level below about 42 nmol/L on the lowest. In that population, the difference in mortality was 42 percent for all causes and 26 percent for cardiovascular diseases.

Since ours an observational study, it cannot directly address the issue of causality. In other words, it is possible that blood vitamin D is a marker of some other characteristics causally linked to disease and mortality, like general good or poor health status. Controlled vitamin D trials, in which individuals are randomly allocated to vitamin D supplement or placebo, are needed to disentangle the effect of vitamin D from that of other factors. However, such studies can only address the effect of dietary supplementation, not of normal dietary intake and sun-related endogenous production. Prior trials showed a protective effect of vitamin D on mortality, albeit of smaller magnitude than observational studies, including ours.

Why Vitamin D Is Good for the Heart

If indeed the protective effect of vitamin D on mortality is real, our study provides important evidence that the effect is present for cardiovascular disease - but not for cancer. The protective effect is present at all ages and in both sexes. Unfortunately, our study did not include a sufficient number of people of different racial and ethnic groups to provide information on this important issue.

An important question is the identification of who should increase their vitamin D status using supplements. There is no consensus on ideal cut-off values for vitamin D deficiency. Our observation that the use of cut-off levels which were specific for country, age, sex, or season produced comparable results, raises the question whether such factors should be considered for defining vitamin D deficiency.

Future population-based studies with standardized vitamin D measurements are needed to fully resolve this issue; in the meantime, caution should be used in extrapolating results across regions with different latitudes.

Despite these uncertainties, I recommend moderate sun exposure, in particular in the elderly. The amount of sun exposure depends on the type of skin (15-30 minutes are sufficient for a fair skinned person, while one or two hours are needed for dark skinned person) and on the latitude the person lives (more time is needed in Northern regions, in particular in winter). If sun exposure is not sufficient, people can consider taking supplements, after talking with their doctor.

Paolo Boffetta, MD, MPH is a chronic disease epidemiologist who is Director of the Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Associate Director for Population Sciences of the Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine, which is part of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. He is also Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and in the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. He has edited 12 books and published more than 1,000 peer-reviewed scientific articles. [back to the top]

Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Schizophrenia

Deborah Brauser -- July 29, 2014 -- Dr. Ahmad Esmaillzadeh

A review of 19 studies, which included more than 2800 participants, showed that those with vitamin D deficiency were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia compared with their counterparts who were not vitamin D deficient.

In addition, 65% of the patients who had schizophrenia also had lower levels of vitamin D.

Coinvestigator Ahmad Esmaillzadeh, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Community Nutrition in the School of Nutrition and Food Science at the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in Iran, told Medscape Medical News that although lower levels of serum vitamin D were expected in these patients because of earlier ecologic and epidemiologic studies, "we were surprised by the significant 2.16 times increased risk of schizophrenia in vitamin D deficient individuals. We did not expect such a significant increase," he added.

Dr. Esmailzadeh noted that the findings support the importance of vitamin D in brain function and psychological health.

"As vitamin D deficiency is a global issue, more attention should be drawn to assessment of serum vitamin D levels in order to screen and support individuals that are at higher risk of having deficiencies. Moreover, our findings might help psychiatrists in the healing process of patients with schizophrenia," he said.

"However, controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm the effects of vitamin D supplementation," he added.

The study was published online July 22 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Global Issue

Dr. Esmailladeh noted that vitamin D deficiency is "relatively prevalent" globally and is associated with several disorders. For instance, previous studies have reported a link between these lower levels and depression.

"We were interested in the role of vitamin D in psychiatric health and, due to conflicting data on the association between serum levels of vitamin D and schizophrenia and no comprehensive meta-analysis in this regard, we aimed to conduct this study," he added.

The investigators examined data from 19 studies, published between 1988 and 2013, that assessed serum vitamin D levels in adult patients with schizophrenia. They then conducted 3 separate meta-analyses.

The number of patients in each study ranged from 17 to 848, for a total of 2804. In addition, 11 of the studies were conducted in European countries, and 8 were conducted in non-European countries.

The first meta-analysis included 13 of the studies and examined mean levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The second included 8 studies and examined vitamin D deficiency prevalence; and the third included 8 studies and focused on odds ratios.

Some of the studies were included in overlapping meta-analyses.

Suspicions Confirmed

"For the most part, this confirms what we've long been expecting, based on all of the other epidemiologic data out there," Michael F. Holick, MD, PhD, from the Department of Medicine; the Section of Endocrinology, Nutrition, and Diabetes; and the Vitamin D, Skin, and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University Medical Center in Massachusetts, told Medscape Medical News.

Dr. Michael Holick

The investigators "took into account sunlight exposure and a whole variety of variables and concluded that schizophrenic patients are more likely to be vitamin D deficient. And that is consistent with the concept that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk for schizophrenia," said Dr. Holick, who was not involved with this research.

He noted that approximately 30% of children and adults around the world are vitamin D deficient - and 60% are deficient or insufficient.

"So we recommend vitamin D supplementation across the board. The Endocrine Society recommends for children 1 year and older, 600 to 1000 units a day; for adults, 800 to 2000 units a day; and for people who are overweight or obese, they need 2 to 3 times more to both treat and satisfy their deficiency," he said.

Dr. Holick noted that both the Institute of Medicine and the Endocrine Society do not have specific recommendations for this type of supplementation in pregnant women. However, he recommends 2000 units per day along with other dietary sources of vitamin D, such as milk, and normal prenatal vitamins.

"We know from a study recently done in South Carolina that pregnant women taking 4000 units of vitamin D a day had robust, healthy levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and no untoward toxicity. So 4000 units were easily tolerated and may be preferred by pregnant women," he said.

He added that although it may not be possible to prevent schizophrenia, there is hope to decrease the risk for the disorder.

"The [current] investigators conclude, which is consistent with a lot of literature, that there is a 2-fold higher risk of having schizophrenia based on being vitamin D deficient. And I think that is the major message," he said.

"Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in this population. Therefore, physicians caring for these patients should be aggressive in treating the deficiency, and then they may actually improve how [patients] respond to their medication, making them feel better as their mood improves, all for the benefit of their mental health." [back to the top]

Gout in the elderly. Clinical presentation and treatment (Pubmed.gov)

Abstract

Gout in the elderly differs from classical gout found in middle-aged men in several respects: it has a more equal gender distribution, frequent polyarticular presentation with involvement of the joints of the upper extremities, fewer acute gouty episodes, a more indolent chronic clinical course, and an increased incidence of tophi. Long term diuretic use in patients with hypertension or congestive cardiac failure, renal insufficiency, prophylactic low dose aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), and alcohol (ethanol) abuse (particularly by men) are factors associated with the development of hyperuricaemia and gout in the elderly. Extreme caution is necessary when prescribing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the treatment of acute gouty arthritis in the elderly. NSAIDs with short plasma half-life (such as diclofenac and ketoprofen) are preferred, but these drugs are not recommended in patients with peptic ulcer disease, renal failure, uncontrolled hypertension or cardiac failure. Colchicine is poorly tolerated in the elderly and is best avoided. Intra-articular and systemic corticosteroids are increasingly being used for treating acute gouty flares in aged patients with medical disorders contraindicating NSAID therapy. Urate-lowering drugs are indicated for the treatment of hyperuricaemia and chronic gouty arthritis. Uricosuric drugs are poorly tolerated and the frequent presence of renal impairment in the elderly renders these drugs ineffective. Allopurinol is the urate-lowering drug of choice, but its use in the aged is associated with an increased incidence of both cutaneous and severe hypersensitivity reactions. To minimise this risk, allopurinol dose must be kept low. A starting dose of allopurinal 50 to 100mg on alternate days, to a maximum daily dose of about 100 to 300mg, based upon the patient's creatinine clearance and serum urate level, is recommended. Asymptomatic hyperuricaemia is not an indication for long term urate-lowering therapy; the risks of drug toxicity often outweigh any benefit.[back to the top]

Risk of heart attack and stroke doubles for patients with gout (MNT)

New research published in Rheumatology journal has found that having gout doubles the risk of heart attack and stroke. The research tracked the health of more than 205,000 gout patients using data spanning five decades to determine links between gout and heart attack and stroke.

The findings showed that gout patients are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke as those without gout. It is thought that the higher levels of uric acid which cause gout are also a strong risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

Conducted by scientists at the University of Oxford, the research used data from NHS England and the Office for National Statistics. Two sets of data for gout patients between 1963 and 2011 were used to track patients' health and to determine the link between gout and heart attack and stroke in England.

These new findings highlight the need to address co-morbidities and include preventative measures within gout treatment to reduce heart attacks and stroke in gout patients.

Professor Rob Moots, editor of Rheumatology, said:

"This important study tells us that gout is a condition that is more than just a cause of severe pain, it is rather disease that must be taken seriously and treated effectively to prevent unnecessary heart attacks and strokes."

Dr Chris Deighton, president of the British Society for Rheumatology, said:

"This research reminds us that gout needs to be considered in a much broader context than just inflammatory arthritis. The vast majority of care for gout takes place in primary care. GPs need to know that gout is not only a highly curable form of arthritis, but these patients also need vigilance for their increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. High quality holistic care of people with gout may not only improve their quality of life, but also the quantity of years lived."

Olena Seminog, lead researcher, said:

"By analysing a huge dataset spanning a long period of time for all of England our group found that gout patients have double the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. This evidence could help to guide ways of improving cardiovascular health for people with gout, while also suggesting that more research is needed to reveal the effects of uric acid on our health." [back to the top]

Are There Other Options Besides Medications for Gout and Osteoarthritis? (Julie Chen, M.D.- Integrative Medical Doctor)

Most of my patients in my integrative medicine clinic in San Jose, California know that one of my personal passions is the treatment of rheumatological diseases. It definitely helps that these diseases respond very well to diet and lifestyle changes (3,4), but more importantly, the honor of being able to witness significant improvement in quality of life for these patients after they make these changes is very rewarding to say the least.

Due the strong impact of diet and nutritional intake and many various diseases (3,4), I would like to spend the next couple of months discussing various dietary changes that have been seen to be helpful with various types of rheumatological conditions.

This month, I would like to kick off this series with a focus on gout and osteoarthritis.

Gout is a defect in intermediate breakdown that leads to uric acid build up (3,4). Foods rich in purines help with uric acid production and thus should be avoided in patients with gout (3,4). These foods include but are not limited to beer, organ meats, yeast, shellfish, sardines, herring, and bacon (3). Alcohol helps to increase purine production and lowers our kidney's ability to clear out uric acid (3,4) therefore high purine foods and alcohol consumption for those with gout is not recommended.

Being overweight is associated with increased uric acid levels and gout flares (3). It seems that early studies suggest a diet that is low in carbohydrates and is restricted in calories with a large amount of monounsaturated fats and higher in total daily protein than previously recommended may be beneficial to patients with gout (3,4). When you look at all of this information together, a diet low in carbohydrate or sugar load and an emphasis on weight loss is indicative of gout status improvement (3).

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative arthritis or, as my patients like to say, an arthritis from wear and tear of aging. This state can be accelerated by obesity and so weight management is important especially for osteoarthritis of the knee and hips (3,4). Therefore, it makes sense that weight loss is important in helping symptoms of osteoarthritis (3,4).

Although many people may think that with joint pains, they should not exercise or work out, that is not true. Physical activity is beneficial for osteoarthritis simply because it helps to maintain mobility and helps with our weight management which directly helps to stem the negative impact of OA (3,4). If joint degeneration is severe and you are not able to easily exercise, some other options that are gentler on joints are swimming and qi gong (3,4).

In terms of supplements, are there any that are beneficial to OA?

Some studies suggest that antioxidants are helpful for OA and that having adequate vitamin D levels are known to help limit progression of OA (4). There are also some early observational evidence that certain vitamin deficiencies like vitamin D and K can negatively impact osteoarthritis joint status (3,4).

Many people ask me about glucosamine sulfate as therapy for OA. The answer to that is that there is some evidence that it can help with mild to moderate OA so as to help limit disease progression but it is not great at giving immediate pain relief (5).

So in regards to pain relief, if you don't want to use the typical prescription or over the counter pain medications, what should you use?

Omega-3 fatty acids are a great choice for inflammatory joint symptoms. So I would recommend this for not just OA but also for gout (2). Our current modern diet has a higher preponderance of omega-6 to omega-3 ratio but our ancestors had diets that were more balanced between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids (2). The reason why we want a diet higher in omega-3 is that they lead to generation of anti-inflammatory chemicals called cytokines (2). Despite my noting of the fact that we need more omega-3, that doesn't mean we don't need omega-6, it's just that there should be a closer balance of the two rather than a large predominance of omega-6 over omega-3 (2). Other options for joint pain relief include the potential usage of capsaicin, ginger, and SAMe (1,6,7).

Although I am a big proponent of herbal and vitamin therapy, I want to caution readers to always check with your physician before using any supplements. You should not think that just because it's not a prescription medication, everything over the counter is safe for everyone. So, my recommendation is to play it safe and always check with your physician before using any supplements and to let them know what you are taking so they can keep their list of your therapeutic regimen updated.

So, in summary for the information we addressed this month for osteoarthritis and gout, the main takeaway points are that a diet that is more vegetable-based and healthy lean protein-based with lower carbohydrates can help with diseases like gout. But most importantly, a diet such as this were we are trying to prevent insulin resistance can help with inflammation as well as weight management. Obesity and being overweight are linked to higher disease state complications and progression of both gout and osteoarthritis. So getting yourself into target weight is important for joint health. (3.4)

Finally, if you would prefer not to use over the counter or prescription medications, some supplement options were discussed but I would like to again make sure I am clear that I am a big proponent of you checking with your doctors first before starting any supplements. Just because something is a supplement, doesn't mean it is always safe... but similarly, just because it's a supplement, doesn't mean it won't work or it's just placebo effect because some studies suggest that various options we discussed can be therapeutic and helpful in gout and osteoarthritis. (1-7)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Recurrent gout attacks are twice as likely to strike on hot days when humidity is low, according to new findings.

The risk of gout attacks was also increased under hot, humid conditions compared to moderate temperature and relative humidity, but to a lesser degree, Dr. Tuhina Neogi of Boston University School of Medicine and her colleagues found.

"Our findings imply that high temperatures and low humidity in combination are risk factors for triggering gout attacks," Dr. Neogi told Reuters Health. "We think that probably reflects the fact that there is more evaporative loss when the temperature is high and there is low humidity."

Based on the findings, she added, physicians should advise their patients with gout to stay well-hydrated with appropriate fluids - ideally, water - during hot weather.

The study is the first to look at weather factors and the risk of recurrent gout attacks, the researchers note. They conducted an Internet-based case-crossover study of 632 patients who had experienced at least one gout attack in the 12 months before enrollment. Patients were followed from 2003 to 2010.

The researchers used data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to track weather conditions in each patient's zip code during the 48 hours leading up to gout attacks and during control periods.

Higher temperatures during the previous 48 hours were positively associated with gout attack risk. Individuals were at 43% greater risk of an attack when temperatures were between 70 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit and at 40% greater risk with temperatures at 80 degrees and above, compared to when temperatures were between 50 and 59 degrees (p for linear trend = 0.01).

There was a reverse J-shaped relationship between humidity and gout attack risk. When relative humidity was less than 40% over the past 48 hours, the likelihood of an attack was 55% higher than with relative humidity of 60% to 74%. At the other end of the spectrum, the risk was 14% higher for relative humidity of 75% to 84% and 11% higher for relative humidity of 85% or above.

The greatest risk occurred when temperatures were 70 degrees or higher for the previous 48 hours and relative humidity was below 60%, with an odds ratio for attacks of 2.04 compared to when temperatures were in the 50s and 60s and humidity was 60% to 74%.

The findings were published online July 3 in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

When it's humid out, Dr. Neogi noted, people feel the sweat on their skin and recognize that they need to increase their fluid intake; when it's less humid, she added, they may not be as aware that they are at risk of fluid depletion.

She and her colleagues conclude, "The biological mechanisms underlying these associations require further exploration and may include volume depletion or behavioral changes in response to the weather that may influence gout attack risk. Patients with gout may be advised that under conditions of hot and/or dry weather, appropriate measures, such as increased water intake, should be considered to minimize the risk of recurrent gout attacks."

Nine Reasons Why You Should Eat Sweet Potatoes (NaturalNews)

(NaturalNews) Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrition. They are a great source of minerals such as manganese, folate, copper, and iron. The darker-colored variety is a great source of carotenes (precursor of vitamin A), vitamins C, B2, B6, E and biotin. Sweet potatoes are also a fantastic source of dietary fiber. Here are nine reasons you should be eating more sweet potatoes:

1. Sweet potatoes are high in antioxidants, which work in the body to prevent inflammatory problems like asthma, arthritis, gout, and many more.

2. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of carbohydrates for those with blood sugar problems. These fibrous root vegetables can help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent conditions like insulin resistance.

3. Sweet potatoes are healthy for the digestive tract. Being rich in digestive fiber, especially when the skin is also consumed, it helps to relieve constipation and may prevent colon cancer.

4. Sweet potatoes are good for those who are pregnant or trying to conceive because they are high in folate, which is essential for the healthy development of fetal cell and tissue.

5. Packed with important vitamins and other nutrients, eating sweet potatoes can boost immunity by supporting the needs of the body.

6. Sweet potatoes are good for preventing heart disease. High in potassium, sweet potatoes can help prevent the onset of heart attack and stroke. Potassium also helps to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body, which is important for stabilizing blood pressure and regulating heart function.

7. Sweet potatoes are good for alleviating muscle cramps. Potassium deficiencies are a leading cause of muscle cramps, as well injuries. By making sweet potatoes a regular part of your diet (along with proper exercise), you can expect an energy boost and fewer muscle cramps and injuries.

8. Sweet potatoes are good for treating stress-related symptoms. The body tends to use a lot of potassium and other important minerals when it is under stress. Sweet potatoes provide important minerals that will help maintain balance throughout the body during times of stress.

9. Sweet potatoes ranked number one in nutrition out of all vegetables by the Center for Science in the Public Interest because they are such a rich source of dietary fiber, natural sugars, complex carbohydrates, protein, carotenoids, vitamin C, iron and calcium.

Quinoa's Many Health Benefits (NaturalNews)

(NaturalNews) Quinoa is a grain crop native to the Andean Mountains of South America. Although the leaves of the plant can be consumed as a leaf vegetable, quinoa is primarily grown for its seeds. These seeds, which are cooked in a similar way to rice, come in three colors (red, white and black) and are much-loved for their significant health benefits. In fact, 2013 was crowned "The International Year of Quinoa" by the United Nations due to quinoa's high nutritional value and potential to contribute to global food security. (1)

A complete protein source

One of quinoa's biggest draws, particularly for vegetarians and vegans, is its considerable protein content. According to Self's "NutritionData," one cup of cooked quinoa contains 16 percent of our recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein. (2) Moreover, this protein contains all eight essential amino acids, making quinoa a rare example of a plant-based complete protein source (most plant foods are deficient in some amino acids, such as lysine). Protein, of course, aids the growth and repair of cells, supplies energy to our bodies and much more.

Packed with fiber

One cup of cooked quinoa also contains a whopping 21 percent of our RDA of fiber, which is twice as much fiber as most other grains. (2) Most of quinoa's fiber is the insoluble kind that contains the well-known laxative effect, but it also contains smaller amounts of insoluble fiber that forms a gel in the stomach, thereby slowing digestion, encouraging a feeling of fullness, and reducing LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. This well-rounded fiber profile gives quinoa a low glycemic load of 53, making it a suitable food for diabetics and pre-diabetics.

High in antioxidants

A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in August 2009 showed that of the 10 Andean grains analyzed by the researchers (five cereals, three pseudocereals and two legumes), quinoa contained the most antioxidants out of all of them. (3) Another 2009 study published in Food Chemistry showed that allowing quinoa seeds to sprout could increase their antioxidant content further. (4) Antioxidant-rich foods are well-known for their anti-aging properties and ability to prevent degenerative diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, macular degeneration and Alzheimer's disease.

Rich in quercetin and kaempferol

Quinoa is an excellent source of the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol, which are shown to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-cancer effects. A study published in Neuropharmacology in 2010 even found that flavonoids contained anti-depressant properties, suggesting that flavonoid-rich foods like quinoa could provide treatment for depression, anxiety and other low moods. (5)

Gluten-free

According to a survey published by The NPD Group in 2013, approximately one-third of the United States population are trying to minimize or avoid gluten due to health concerns. (6) Fortunately for this growing minority, quinoa is naturally gluten-free and is a safe food for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Moreover, unlike many processed "gluten-free" foods, quinoa is a whole food that is free from additives and other undesirable ingredients.

Bursting with nutrients

Quinoa is an excellent source of essential nutrients such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, copper, selenium and most B vitamins. One cup of quinoa also supplies us with an impressive 30 percent of our RDA of magnesium, in which up to an estimated 80 percent of the American population are deficient. (2)

Organic quinoa is easily found online or in health food stores. It only takes between 15 and 20 minutes to cook, has a pleasant, nutty flavor, and is easy to incorporate into both cooked and cold meals.

Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Glucose Intolerance (Beth Skwarecki)

September 17, 2014

The artificial sweeteners aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin cause blood glucose abnormalities in mice and some humans, a team reports in an article published online September 17 in Nature. The changes in glucose tolerance seem to be driven by the microbiome and can be reproduced in germ-free mice by giving them gut microbes from a person who has consumed the sweeteners.

"We found that artificial sweeteners may drive...an exaggerated elevation in blood glucose levels, the very same condition that we often aim to prevent by consuming them," Eran Elinav, MD, PhD, from the Department of Immunology at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, said at a press briefing.

The investigators began with experiments in mice, giving each animal 1 of 3 artificial sweeteners in its water: aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. Because commercial preparations of these sweeteners also contain some glucose, researchers used glucose, fructose, or plain water for the control mice to ensure it was the artificial sweetener and not any added sugar that was responsible for the effect. "To our surprise, we found they all induced a blood sugar disturbance even compared to mice who drank sugary water," Dr. Elinav said. This effect occurred on both a normal diet of rat chow (P < .001) and a high-fat diet in which 60% of calories came from fat (P < .03).

Because these artificial sweeteners are not digested or absorbed by the human body, the investigators hypothesized that gut microbes were responsible for the results. They administered antibiotics to the mice: 1 group received ciprofloxacin and metronidazole, a broad-spectrum approach focusing on gram-negative bacteria, and another group received vancomycin, aimed against gram-positive bacteria. Both treatments, when given for 4 weeks, eliminated the differences in glucose tolerance between sweetener-fed mice and controls.

The symptoms could also be triggered by a microbial transplant. Microbes from mice who had been drinking saccharin were transplanted via feces into germ-free mice and caused the recipients to show impaired glucose tolerance, whereas microbes from mice who had been drinking glucose did not (P < .03). Further, to show that the microbes were responsible, and not some other component of the feces, the researchers cultured bacteria from mice who were not eating sweeteners and added saccharin to the growth media. These bacteria were then transplanted into germ-free mice, resulting in impaired glucose tolerance compared with mice that received a control culture (P < .002).

Bacterial Profiles

The researchers performed both 16S sequencing, to identify the bacteria that were over- or underrepresented in mice with impaired glucose tolerance, and metagenomic sequencing, to identify what those bacteria are doing. In the microbial ecosystems from mice that ate artificial sweeteners, the pathways that were overrepresented included several that had previously been linked to diabetes and glucose intolerance. Glycan degradation, for example, occurs when microbes digest certain chains of sugars and create short-chain fatty acids that the body can use for energy, providing extra calories. The investigators confirmed that the sweetener-fed mice had increased amounts of this end product, the short chain fatty acids, in their guts.

In Humans

Artificial sweeteners caused changes in glucose tolerance in humans, as well, but only for some participants the investigators consider to be "responders." A group of 7 healthy volunteers who do not normally consume artificial sweeteners were given saccharin for 6 days at a dose that met the US Food and Drug Administration's maximum acceptable daily intake of saccharin for humans. No participants saw improvements in glucose tolerance, but 4 showed impairment.

Even before the experiment began, the microbial ecosystems from the 4 responders were different from those of the 3 nonresponders, suggesting their microbiome was somehow more susceptible. These results, said Dr. Elinav, "point to the personalized nature of our food responses and the need to understand this personalized effect in order to fight the metabolic syndrome, which as we all know, is one of the most common and serious epidemics in all history."

Bacteria from responders, sampled at the end of the trial, were able to induce glucose intolerance when introduced into germ-free mice (P < .02), whereas baseline samples from the responders (taken before they had consumed the artificial sweeteners) did not have this effect, nor did bacteria from the nonresponders.

Trend Seen With Long-Term Consumption

A further experiment involving 381 nondiabetic participants showed that long-term consumption of artificial sweeteners was associated with measures of central obesity and glucose intolerance, even when corrected for body mass index.

The authors caution that the results from the human experiments are not yet enough to make recommendations about whether or not people should consume sweeteners. They also point out that the mechanism for the sweeteners' effect is unknown: it may be causing less desirable bacteria to thrive, or it may be poisoning certain normal bacteria, allowing detrimental species to take their place.

In an accompanying editorial, Taylor Feehley, BA, and Cathryn Nagler, PhD, both from the Department of Pathology at the University of Chicago, note that "Whether the bacterial populations or metabolic pathways altered by the consumption of [artificial sweeteners] are similar to those described in people with or developing diabetes remains to be seen."

High-fat diets have been enjoying excellent press lately. Earlier this month a study was published showing that low-carb diets outperform low-fat diets for both weight loss and heart health. This week, a new study suggests that people eating high-fat dairy products are at significantly lower risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes than those eating less dairy.

The study was presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria. It included data for nearly 27,000 people (60% women), aged 45-74 years, culled from the Swedish Malmo Diet and Cancer Study. Study participants were tracked for 14 years after original data collection, during which time 2,680 cases of Type 2 diabetes were diagnosed.

The results showed that study participants eating eight portions of high-fat dairy a day (including cream and whole milk) had a 23% lower incidence of developing diabetes than those eating one portion a day. The same effect was not found for those eating low-fat dairy products.

Researchers controlled for a range of factors to weed out other possible contributing causes, including total energy intake, BMI, leisure time physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and education.

The study also tracked diabetes rates associated with eating meat and meat products like sausage, and found an increased risk of developing the disease for those eating the most meat, regardless of fat content. But, people eating lower-fat meats were at greater risk than those eating high-fat meats (9% greater risk for high-fat meats versus 24% for low-fat meats).

The results suggest that when it comes to diabetes risk, not all fats are created equal. Dairy fats may actually provide protection against the disease.

Quoting lead study author Dr. Ulrika Ericson, from the Lund University Diabetes Center in Malmo, Sweden: "Our observations may contribute to clarifying previous findings regarding dietary fats and their food sources in relation to Type 2 diabetes. The decreased risk at high intakes of high- fat dairy products, but not of low-fat dairy products, indicate that dairy fat, at least partly, explains observed protective associations between dairy intake and Type 2 diabetes."

If you're wondering, "eight portions" of high-fat dairy in this study is the equivalent of about six ounces of whole milk or a little over one ounce of whole cream per day. That's about two and a half tablespoons of cream in a cup of coffee.

Don't run out to raid the dairy aisle just yet. While this study included data from a large population sample, there are significant differences between the average American's diet and the average European's. Dairy appears to be a distinguishing factor in diabetes risk within the context of a typical Swedish diet, but we don't know if the results would hold true with a similarly sized U.S. population sample. Future research will have to plumb that possibility.

At the very least, these results add to a growing list of findings suggesting that fat may not deserve the dietary arch villain label it has carried for decades.

7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat(Dr. Mercola)

Tim Ferriss of The Four-Hour Work Week has posted an exclusive excerpt from Drs. Michael and Mary Eades' newest book, The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle.

The two doctors note that no matter how the story spins from the denizens of the anti-fat camp, one piece of their advice remains staunchly constant: "You should sharply limit your intake of saturated fats." But will saturated fats really increase your risk of heart disease and raise your cholesterol? In a word, no. In fact, humans need them, and here are just a few reasons why:

1) Improved cardiovascular risk factors

Saturated fat plays a key role in cardiovascular health. The addition of saturated fat to the diet reduces the levels of a substance called lipoprotein(a) that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease. Research has shown that when women diet, those eating the greatest percentage of the total fat in their diets as saturated fat, lose the most weight.

2) Stronger bones

Saturated fat is required for calcium to be effectively incorporated into bone. According to one of the foremost research experts in dietary fats and human health, Dr. Mary Enig, Ph.D., there's a case to be made for having as much as 50 percent of the fats in your diet as saturated fats for this reason.

3) Improved liver health

Saturated fat has been shown to protect the liver from alcohol and medications, including acetaminophen and other drugs commonly used for pain and arthritis.

4) Healthy lungs

For proper function, the airspaces of the lungs have to be coated with a thin layer of lung surfactant. The fat content of lung surfactant is 100 percent saturated fatty acids. Replacement of these critical fats by other types of fat makes faulty surfactant and potentially causes breathing difficulties.

5) Healthy brain

Your brain is mainly made of fat and cholesterol. The lion's share of the fatty acids in the brain are actually saturated. A diet that skimps on healthy saturated fats robs your brain of the raw materials it needs to function optimally.

6) Proper nerve signaling

Certain saturated fats, particularly those found in butter, lard, coconut oil, and palm oil, function directly as signaling messengers that influence metabolism, including such critical jobs as the appropriate release of insulin.7) Strong immune system

Saturated fats found in butter and coconut oil (myristic acid and lauric acid) play key roles in immune health. Loss of sufficient saturated fatty acids in white blood cells hampers their ability to recognize and destroy foreign invaders, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

Source: Four Hour Work Week September 6, 2009

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

A misguided fallacy that persists to this day is the belief that saturated fat will increase your risk of heart disease and heart attacks. This is simply another myth that has been harming your health for the last 30 or 40 years.

The truth is, saturated fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy in your diet, and they provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances.

When you eat saturated fats as part of your meal, they slow down absorption so that you can go longer without feeling hungry. In addition, they act as carriers for the important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are also needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption, and for a host of other biological processes.

Saturated fats are also:

The preferred fuel for your heart, and also used as a source of fuel during energy expenditure Useful antiviral agents (caprylic acid) Effective as an anticaries, antiplaque and anti-fungal agent (lauric acid) Useful to actually lower cholesterol levels (palmitic and stearic acids) Modulators of genetic regulation and prevent cancer (butyric acid) If the fact that saturated fats are actually good for you sounds conflicting, at least in terms of what is repeated by public health agencies, I urge you to read Mary Enig and Sally Fallon's classic article The Truth About Saturated Fats. It is one of the best and most thorough introductions to this topic, and you can read through it in just a few minutes.

Have You Heard of the Lipid Hypothesis?

If not by name, you've certainly heard of the concept behind the "lipid hypothesis," and that is that dietary fat causes heart disease.

This flawed theory was largely spread by Ancel Keys, a diet researcher for whom military K-rations are named, and it was because of the lipid hypothesis that Americans were soon encouraged to substitute vegetable-based fats for animal fats, and to avoid red meat completely.

However, when Keys published his analysis that claimed to prove the link between dietary fats and coronary heart disease, he selectively analyzed information from only six countries to prove his correlation, rather than comparing all the data available at the time - from 22 countries.

As a result of this "cherry-picked" data, government health organizations began bombarding the public with advice that has contributed to the diabetes and obesity epidemics going on today: eat a low-fat diet.

Of course, as Americans cut out nutritious animal fats from their diets, they were left hungry. So they began eating more processed grains, more vegetable oils, and more high-fructose corn syrup, all of which are nutritional disasters.

What About the Studies That DO Show a Link Between Fat and Heart Disease?

Keys believed that dietary fat was causing heart disease in Americans back in the 1950s, and he soon got others to jump on the bandwagon.

Even the American Heart Association, which concluded in 1957 that "the evidence that dietary fat correlates with heart disease does not stand up to critical examination," changed its position in 1960. Why? Because Keys was on the committee issuing a new report that a low-fat diet was advised for people at risk of heart disease. Sadly, the theory continued to be accepted as nutritional wisdom, even though clinical trials found no connection.

There are, however, some studies that have found a link between fat and heart disease, and they are often used by saturated fat opponents to "prove" their case.

The problem lies in the fact that most of these studies make no effort to differentiate between saturated fat and trans fat. I believe this is the missing link.

If researchers were to more carefully evaluate the risks of heart disease by measuring the levels of trans and saturated fat, I believe they would find a completely different story.

Trans fat is known to increase your LDL levels, or "bad" cholesterol, while lowering your levels of HDL, known as "good" cholesterol, which is the complete opposite of what you need in order to maintain good heart health. It can also cause major clogging of arteries, type-2 diabetes and other serious health problems.

On the other hand, your body needs some amount of saturated fat to stay healthy. It is virtually impossible to achieve a nutritionally adequate diet that has no saturated fat. What you don't need, however, are trans fats.

Further, there are some people who do well with a low-saturated-fat diet - the one-third who are carb nutritional types. Even then, however, some animal fats are necessary and healthy, and two-thirds of people actually require moderate- to high-saturated-fat diets to thrive.

Healthy Sources of Saturated Fats to Add to Your Diet

Saturated fat is not the root of all evil - and it is NOT to blame for the modern disease epidemics facing Americans. Saturated fat is actually an incredibly healthy, nourishing and all natural fat that humans have been thriving on for generations. Again, as Fallon and Enig point out:

They play a vital role in the health of your bones. For calcium to be effectively incorporated into your skeletal structure, at least 50 percent of your dietary fats should be saturated.

They lower Lp(a), a substance in your blood that indicates proneness to heart disease.

They protect your liver from alcohol and other toxins, such as Tylenol and other drugs.

They enhance your immune system.

They are needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids. Elongated omega-3 fats are better retained in your tissues when your diet is rich in saturated fats.

Saturated 18-carbon stearic acid and 16-carbon palmitic acid are the preferred foods for your heart, which is why the fat around your heart muscle is highly saturated. Your heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of stress. Short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids have important antimicrobial properties.

They protect you against harmful microorganisms in your digestive tract.

So please do not shun saturated fats from your diet. If you'd like to get the most tailored information about which fats, and how much of them, to include in your optimal diet, first find out your nutritional type. Then, make sure your meals include some of these delicious and healthy sources of saturated fat:

Grass-fed organic beef and beef fat

Naturally raised lamb

Organic raw dairy products (butter, cheese, milk, cream)

Coconut oil

4 Reasons Love Coconut Oil(Natural News)

(NaturalNews) Few foods, with the possible exception of eggs, have had their reputations so completely demolished in the 20th century as coconut oil. Even as late as the 1990s, this edible oil, which is extracted from the kernels or flesh of matured coconuts, continued to be demonized in the media as a great contributor to heart disease due to its significant saturated fat content.

Fortunately, modern society is beginning to understand that the saturated fat present in coconut oil is, contrary to popular belief, actually highly beneficial. This understanding was, in part, due to a growing body of evidence suggesting that populations who consumed large quantities of coconut oil, such as the Tokelauan and Kitavan people of the South Pacific, were among the healthiest people on Earth. This evidence prompted a growing number of scientists to investigate the benefits of coconut oil.

Coconut oil is an unbeatable source of saturated fat

According to Self's "NutritionData," one tablespoon of coconut oil contains 14 grams of total fat, of which 12 grams are saturated. Whereas the saturated fat found in most other foods, such as meat and cheese, is mostly comprised of long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), the saturated fat found in coconut oil is mostly comprised of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Unlike LCTs, which need to be broken down in the intestines before our bodies can use them as fuel, MCTs are metabolized extremely quickly and rarely stored in the body as fat cells. These MCTs are the source of all of the benefits listed below.

Coconut oil can reduce abdominal obesity

Due to its concentrations of MCTs, long-term consumption of coconut oil has actually been linked to weight loss, not weight gain. A Brazilian study published in Lipids in 2009, found that women who consumed 30 milliliters of coconut oil daily for a 12 week period experienced a reduction in BMI and waist circumference. A group of women who consumed equal amounts of soybean oil, which contains LCTs, during the same period did not experience the same benefits.

Coconut oil kills bacteria, viruses and fungi

Almost 50% of the MCTs found in coconut oil is lauric acid, a 12-carbon saturated fatty acid that our bodies convert into monolaurin. Monolaurin is one of the natural world's greatest antivirals, antibacterials and antifungals. In fact, Dr. Joseph Mercola claimed that monolaurin can destroy lipid-coated viruses, such as measles, herpes, influenza, most pathogenic bacteria and even HIV. These claims are now being studied by science. One study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2007, found that coconut oil is extremely effective at killing Candida albicans, a common yeast infection in humans. Another study published in the Journal of Bacteriology in 2000 discovered that coconut oil can help kill Staphylococcus aureus, which is a common cause of skin conditions and respiratory diseases.

Coconut oil can maintain mental health

It is a well-known fact that inadequate amounts of our brain's main fuel supply, glucose, is the leading cause of cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia. According to researcher Dr. Mary Newport, coconut oil can help prevent these diseases due to the high concentrations of ketone bodies in its MCTs, which function as an alternative fuel source. "Humans do not normally have ketone bodies circulating and available to the brain unless they have been starving for a couple of days or longer, or are consuming a ketogenic (very low carbohydrate) diet, such as Atkins," says Newport. "In Alzheimer's disease, the neurons in certain areas of the brain are unable to take in glucose due to insulin resistance and slowly die off... If these cells had access to ketone bodies, they could potentially stay alive and continue to function."

Gout is on the rise among U.S. men and women, and this piercingly painful and most common form of inflammatory arthritis is turning out to be more complicated than had been thought. The standard way to check for gout is by drawing fluid or tissue from an affected joint and looking for uric acid crystals, a test known as a needle aspirate. That usually works, but not always: In a new Mayo Clinic study, X-rays known as dual-energy CT scans found gout in one-third of patients whose aspirates tested negative for the disease. The CT scans allowed rheumatologists to diagnose gout and treat those patients with the proper medication.

The results are published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, the European League Against Rheumatism journal.

The study tested the usefulness of CT scans in finding uric acid crystals around joints across a spectrum of gout. The researchers found CT scans worked particularly well in detecting gout in patients who had experienced several gout-like flares but whose previous needle aspirates came back negative. After CT scans found what appeared to be uric acid crystals, ultrasound-guided aspirates were taken in those areas and tested for urate crystals.

"These were in part patients that had been falsely diagnosed with diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or labeled with a different type of inflammatory arthritis, resulting in a completely different and often not effective treatment approach," says first author Tim Bongartz, M.D., a Mayo Clinic rheumatologist. "And there were patients who remained undiagnosed for several years with, for example, chronic elbow symptoms or Achilles tendon systems, where the CT scan then helped us to pick up uric acid deposits."

The study isn't meant to suggest that CT scans should be the first test used to look for gout, Dr. Bongartz says. Needle aspirates work well in most cases, and the research showed CT scans weren't as effective a diagnostic tool among patients having their first gout flare-up, he says. In some of those acute gout cases, needle aspirates found uric acid crystals, but CT scans didn't.

Gout is often thought of as a man's disease and associated with sudden sharp, burning pain in the big toe. It's true that until middle age, more men than women get gout, but after menopause, women catch up in the statistics. And gout can hit more than the big toe: Other joints including parts of the feet, ankles, knees, fingers, wrists and elbows can be affected.

"The first flare of gout most commonly occurs in the big toe, but gout can affect pretty much every joint in the body, and the more gout flares you have the more likelihood that other joint areas will be affected," Dr. Bongartz says.

Five percent of adult African-Americans and 4 percent of whites in the U.S. have gout. The nation's obesity epidemic is thought to be a factor behind the increase in gout cases.

An accurate and early gout diagnosis is crucial because gout patients are treated with different medication than people with other forms of inflammatory arthritis, and proper medication and dietary changes can help prevent further gout attacks and the spread of the disease to other joints.

"What we are learning from the dual-energy CT scans has really changed our perception of where gout can occur and how it can manifest," Dr. Bongartz says. "The ability to visualize those deposits clearly broadens our perspective on gout." [back to the top]

Gout, a form of arthritis, is extremely painful and associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular problems. But there is a bright side: It may be linked to a reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers compared 59,204 British men and women with gout to 238,805 without the ailment, with an average age of 65. Patients were matched for sex, B.M.I., smoking, alcohol consumption and other characteristics. The study, in The Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, followed the patients for five years.

They found 309 cases of Alzheimer's among those with gout and 1,942 among those without. Those with gout, whether they were being treated for the condition or not, had a 24 percent lower risk of Alzheimer's disease.

The reason for the connection is unclear. But gout is caused by excessive levels of uric acid in the blood, and previous studies have suggested that uric acid protects against oxidative stress. This may play a role in limiting neuron degeneration.

"This is a dilemma, because uric acid is thought to be bad, associated with heart disease and stroke," said the senior author, Dr. Hyon K. Choi, a professor of medicine at Harvard. "This is the first piece of data suggesting that uric acid isn't all bad. Maybe there is some benefit. It has to be confirmed in randomized trials, but that's the interesting twist in this story."